Unanimous approval from all members followed a wholehearted recommendation by the Combined Authority’s Transport and Infrastructure Committee. On July 13th, the committee had noted the progress of the A141 St Ives Improvement Scheme and voted with one voice to move the project forward.
Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson said:
“It’s great that the committee put its weight behind the A141 St Ives scheme and gave the Board such a clear steer. It’s vital that we keep moving forward this Improvement strategy – evolving a holistic and joined-up solution for both the A141 Huntingdon area and St Ives. It’s a scheme to help enable truly sustainable growth in housing and employment, bringing benefit for the wider community and delivering a transport upgrade that factors in people, active travel and the environment, not just motor vehicles.”
The A141 and St Ives Improvements scheme, which benefits from the input by local people and businesses during early public engagement, will progress the completed Strategic Outline Business Case - SOBC - to meet possible future Department for Transport requirements for any grant funding.
This means preparing an OBC to meet the government’s ‘Green Book’ 5-case standards for good value and public benefit - as well as the Combined Authority’s and CCC’s assurance requirements - including giving a preferred scheme, robust costings, a preliminary design, and full supporting information.
A key task is to check the SOBC outcomes against updated guidance, such as the requirements to design in high-quality infrastructure for safe cycling; to assess the carbon implications of the scheme; and to deliver at least 20% net increase in biodiversity.
Once the SOBC has been reviewed and any implications of this work established, the scheme can move forward into the OBC stage – initially expected to cost £6 million and be completed across the two financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24.
