Cambridgeshire County Council and Network Rail are working together to understand more about how traffic flows through the village of Queen Adelaide and impacts local residents and businesses.
With wider plans to see increased train services within the county to improve connectivity, the purpose of this study was for us to understand the implications increased number of trains can have on traffic in this location, particularly looking at the impact on the level crossings. Working with Network Rail we want to keep people safe and moving.
The valuable input taken from these conversations will form part of the evidence base of the traffic study which the County Council commissioned and is working with Network Rail on. This work will feed into Network Rail's wider plan for the railway in the Ely area.
We held an engagement event on Thursday 14 September 2017 from 6pm - 8pm at Queen Adelaide Village Hall. Representatives from both Cambridgeshire County Council and Network Rail were on hand to discuss with residents and businesses how they travel in the area and impacts of the crossings on day to day life in Queen Adelaide.
The results of the study were discussed at the Economy and Environment Committee on 8 February 2018 by councillors. At the meeting, it was agreed unanimously to:
- note the proposals for wider regional and national benefits of increased rail capacity through Ely North Junction
- agree to oppose any measures that restrict traffic flow across the level crossings to the detriment of residents and local businesses until alternative solutions are put in place
- note the intention to explore opportunities with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to fund the options development for a road and / or rail solution
- agree to continue to work with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Network Rail and the Ely Area Task Force to develop a comprehensive solution that meets the needs of all Cambridgeshire residents and, in particular, the communities of Queen Adelaide, Prickwillow and Ely.
Work is continuing to develop an outline business case to demonstrate the benefits that will be delivered by unlocking rail capacity in Ely and to investigate the feasibility of a combined road and rail solution to address the issues in the Queen Adelaide area.
Current funding for the programme has been provided for Network Rail to develop a scheme to outline business case by the funding partners New Anglia LEP, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and the Strategic Freight Network. The Department for Transport are also working with the funding partners.
Cambridgeshire County Council is supporting the Combined Authority through this work and will feed into the wider work that Network Rail is carrying out investigating improvements to rail capacity in the area - the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme.
A programme of this scale will require significant public consultation at key points throughout its development. Therefore, residents, businesses and communities in the wider area will be spoken to at the right time, so that anyone with an interest of potentially affected by the programme can have their say.
Please keep an eye on this webpage for the latest information. If you wish to subscribe to receive email updates regarding Queen Adelaide Level Crossings please send an email to Transport.Plan@Cambridgeshire.gov.uk with the subject: Queen Adelaide Crossings Update.
