Council backs extra work on park and ride site to make sure the “right answer is found”

Council bosses have praised news that more work will be done on finding a site for a new park and ride site to the west of Cambridge.

The Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council has said today (Thursday 16 March) that the right answer must be found for a park and ride site to serve communities along the A428 and that concerns raised, and knowledge of, local communities should be listened to.

Cllr Peter Topping has reiterated that a solution must be found to give people fast and high quality public transport alternatives to using the car to get in and out of Cambridge. He also welcomed new from the Greater Cambridge City Deal that they will be adding to their current research to make sure the right solution is found.

The Greater Cambridge City Deal partnership is developing plans for a new busway and park and ride along the A428 that will help improve journey times and reduce congestion.

In October, the City Deal’s Executive Board agreed to progress with detailed assessments of a preferred ‘catchment area’ for a busway to the south of the M11 and a potential park and ride site near Madingley Mulch roundabout.

At the same time, the Board also asked for comparative assessments of off-road and on-road solutions for the busway as well as the evaluation of an alternative park and ride site at Scotland Farm, to the north of the A428, to be carried out.

Assessment of the two park and ride sites raised issues and the City Deal board have now asked for a wider search of potential locations.

The City Deal are also going to look at the case put forward by the community’s Local Liaison Forum for an on-road busway between the Madingley Mulch roundabout and the M11. This will be evaluated against the criteria set by the City Board in October last year and the objectives for the Cambourne to Cambridge City Deal scheme.

Cllr Peter Topping, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Ask anyone who queues in traffic up and down Madingley Hill each morning and evening and they will tell you that something must be done to reduce congestion. Without improvements we cannot make sure that transport links keep pace with the much-needed homes being built now, and being planned for in the future.

“I was at a meeting last week in Hardwick where the proposals for the A428 and the park and ride were being discussed. It was a passionate debate with some really good points being made and ideas put forward. We must make sure these concerns are listened to and the Greater Cambridge City Deal finds a solution that meets the needs of the whole area – including villages in South Cambridgeshire. It is very unlikely that any solution will have complete consensus, but I am very pleased that South Cambridgeshire communities are being listened to and more work is now being done.”

A report on the scheme will be presented to the Greater Cambridge City Deal executive board in July.