Parish Council’s official response to the Greater Cambridge Partnership Newmarket Road improvements and Park & Ride relocation
Teversham Parish Council’s response to Cambridge Eastern Access consultation (at Full Council, 6th March 2023)
We object to the P&R being moved from its current location.
The new site 1 is in the green belt and there is no reason to move it. The green belt needs to be protected.
The current site or the airport (not currently in the green belt) need to be explored as its redevelopment could prove a greener and more sustainable option.
Given that the relocation is required to allow more profitable housing, there are no special circumstances, as required by Green Belt planning rules for a development.
The present site could be extended, or the relocation delayed until the airport closes in a few years, and then re-sited on the Airfield site, which would have much less impact on Teversham and the setting of Cambridge on the rural approaches.
We are concerned that a new P&R site will, like the current one, attract further development next to it to utilise the parking facilities, and development will creep ever closer to the village of Teversham. We have concerns about flooding and potential runoff of rainwater if the new P&R site is concreted over. At present it acts as a natural drainage area absorbing water, being a field.
We are not in favour of Option 2 for the bus access as this would cause delays on Airport Way. We would also prefer to have the vehicle and bus entrance at the same junction on the roundabout. This would reduce the additional vehicle access junction and keep traffic flowing.
If it is to relocate, the planning rules allow for mitigation if P&R sites are allowed in Green Belt. If Site 1 is chosen, then land between the site and Teversham should be designated in a way that it is permanently preserved as countryside, such as a country park or nature reserve, with land ownership in the hands of a public body. Including a footpath/cycleway.
We are concerned about the potential loss of mature trees along Newmarket Rd especially outside the houses between Redwings and Meadowlands (see photo from Google). These are currently not marked for removal but we cannot see how the current plans can be delivered without removing more trees than marked on the current proposal. Removal of trees should be kept to a minimum.
The improvements to Newmarket Road are generally welcome e.g. the extended bus lanes and moving bus stops and toucan crossings away from Elizabeth Way roundabout.
We support the new pedestrian crossing proposed for the Airport Way/Newmarket Road roundabout.
The proposed pedestrian toucan crossing near Garlic Row ( #19) is located at a blind spot as you approach it on the brow of the hill near Chisholm Trail from the east. This seems quite dangerous.
The proposed roundabout at Barnwell Road near McDonalds seems overcomplicated and does not address the main problem there which is the entrance and exit to McDonalds itself.
Congestion is not a major problem on Newmarket Road, except for approximately 20 minutes at peak rush hour. This has been affected negatively by closures to roads off Coldhams Lane e.g. Vinery Road and also when Mill Road was closed. If Mill Road is closed again, this could have an additional negative impact, but in essence Newmarket Road flows fairly well at present and any changes should maintain this flow of traffic.
