Comments for everyone's got an opinion about the B1049

Comment on Lonstanton Road, Oakington by Lorraine Calvert

Lorraine Calvert — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:33:11 +0000

I would be grateful for an explanation of why this road could not be developed to be a ‘legal’ route from Longstanton to Oakington. Surely in this time of high levels of traffic, an opportunity to use another alternative route to the A14 should be welcomed. If taxis and buses can use it, why cant it be fortified to be a normal through route?
It seems a waste of a good road to gate it off. It is such a long way round to use the A14 when you want to get to Oakington from Longstanton. I’m sure I speak for hundreds of people when I say that I really dont agree with this route being shut off – it seems madness.

Comment on The Green and Histon Road by Rob van der Linden

Rob van der Linden — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:49:07 +0000

This part of the B1049 has two problems: speeding and congestion. Both make it a hazard to leave your driveway, most times of the day. It would be good if the 30 MPH flashing signs were at least maintained in working order and enforcement was in place more often.

Comment on Cottenham to Histon by R Whiterod

R Whiterod — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:56:13 +0000

Can I also point out that when the road surface of the B1049 between Cottenham and Histon was replaced some years ago now, the cat’s eyes were never replaced in their ’sockets’. It might appear that we have cat’s eyes in the daytime, but try driving along this dark stretch of road at night in mist and fog!!

Comment on Cottenham to Histon by James Bax

James Bax — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:51:49 +0000

Note to Deborah Read – the text below the name is the comment. I wrote:
“The cycle path from Cottenham to Histon is so appauling that I seldom use it, I ride along the road as I consider it safer! It is not wide enough for 2 bicycles to pass safely, especially in the dark. The surface is cracked and scattered with glass. The lines are also so faded that even with a halogen front light it is difficult to see the edge of the pavement.
The cycle paths from Histon to Girton / Griton to Oakington and Cottenham to Rampton are all fantastic – why has this heavily used route not been improved aswell????”
The issues are ongoing and the path is continuing to deriorate further following the winter months!!
This is a VERY dark piece of road – why has this not been upgraded with the LED lights as found on the cycle path to Rampton and all paths between Girton, Oakington and Histon???
Please can action be take ASAP…….

Comment on Cottenham by Mat Davis

Mat Davis — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:25:23 +0000

We live on the High Street and late last year we also suffered a power loss. The cause was also a broken cable in the pavementv/road outside of our house. Being an old house we don’t have any foundations and we suffer severe vibrations from the now more frequent and much larger lorries that often speed past us. Not only is damage to our house likely, but the very late and very early lorries (e.g. Malary) are causing a lot of family distress (we have two young children). I don’t think it too much to be allowed to sleep without the noise and vibrations of lorries waking us up! It was never this bad when me moved to our house.

Comment on Cottenham to Histon by Jane Heath

Jane Heath — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:34:18 +0000

I agree completely with all the comments above which highlight how totally inadequate and dangerous is the so-called cycle path between Cottenham and Histon.
I believe the County Council wants to encourage cycling. We need a comprehensive and radical redevelopment along this route to create a proper cycle path which is viable and safe – and even pleasant – to use. This should be done with conviction, including providing a good degree of separation from the road. We’ve had to make do with the current apology for a cycle path for years – don’t waste money this time on another feeble, compromise solution.
It’s good to hear the Lib Dems are campaigning for action on this route and I support your efforts.

Comment on Everyone’s got an opinion about the B1049 by Richard Bowers

Richard Bowers — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 18:30:54 +0000

I attended your meeting on Friday 28th November. It was very interesting to hear the reasons for the proposal and other residents’ arguments for and against. After hearing many views, I remain unconvinced about the need to drop the speed limits.

In the matter of the village roads (excluding the B1049), I’m not sure a blanket 20mph limit is necessary. Maybe on the High Street, Station Road and New Road. Elsewhere, maybe not. I would be swayed to support it everywhere if, as one chap suggested, the 20mph limit replaced the accursed speed bumps and chicanes we currently suffer.

As for the B1049 itself, I am wholly unconvinced that the 40mph limit is the problem. The anecdotes of accidents and problems through Histon and Impington would indicate that the problem isn’t the motorist obeying the 40mph limit, but the late night minority that decide to race at 70mph+ through the village. Dropping the speed limit won’t stop this problem. I would support enforcement of the current limit, not dropping it to 30mph.

I don’t think the speed limits should be dictated by an imagined worse case scenario, as if taken to the extreme every road in the country would be set at 10mph. There has to be a balance with the practicality of moving traffic along what is, whether we like it or not, a significant arterial road. The 40mph limit suits its design. Maybe the crossings can be changed to give a higher priority to pedestrians. And if teenagers on their bikes are not following the rules of the road, the road planners shouldn’t have to change the roads to suit people who are unpredictable and irresponsible. It wouldn’t be tolerated by a motorist, so why by a secondary school cyclist who, by that age, should know better?

On the positive side though, the Cottenham-Histon cycle path money is very good news, and of everything that was discussed I think this is the most urgent issue that needs to be addressed. I don’t like the implication that cycle paths can give, that the cyclist should not be on the road (as demonstrated by Mr Howard Warren’s comment elsewhere on this site), but along this stretch it will make life significantly easier and safer.

I’ve already posted a couple of times to this site, so apologies for yet another. I could not see a counter petition at the meeting one could sign against the proposal, so this is the means by which I’d like to register my opinion. 20mph in the village – maybe (instead of speed bumps etc – yes); 30mph on the B1049 – no.

Thank you.

PS. It was interesting to hear why the no entry into Station Road from the High Street experiment was rescinded. I was under the impression it was only because of pressure from traders. If the increased congestion was as bad as reported, that seems like a better reason. Still a shame though – that part of the road was so much easier to use when the four wheeled traffic was all but one way.

Comment on Everyone’s got an opinion about the B1049 by Nic

Nic — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:14:04 +0000

The section of the road through Histon is a 40mph zone. I’d like to see this dropped to 30mph to reduce the noise polution within the village, especially overnight.

Cars regularly travel way in excess of this limit. Lorries make my house shake as they hit the lumps and bumps on the road, this would also be reduced if they weren’t travelling so quickly in the small hours and they are forced to stick to the limits.

I get the impression most drivers feel that 30 limits mean they can get away with up to 40. Our 40mph limit mean they feel they can do 50mph. Most people break the limits but only by so much. While I can’t ever see them being enforced I can see that a drop will mean the majority will go slower even if they do still choose to break the limit.

Going through Histon at 30 instead of 40mph will add how much to a journey time, practically nothing.

Comment on Histon by Richard Bowers

Richard Bowers — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:47:41 +0000

Mr Poulton,

Sorry, I didn’t mean to be misunderstood. I quite agree with you that this road will very much benefit from a cycle path, ideally one on each side of the road so cyclists can travel in the correct direction for the flow of traffic. The point about expecting cyclists to be off the road at all times is an aside. I very occasionally cycle north from Histon so I have experienced the excitement this part of the road can cause.

And in reply to Joss, surely the problems you have described aren’t going to be solved by reducing the speed limit to 30mph if the minority of lunatics still throw their vehicles around at 70mph? I still believe a drop of 10mph is unnecessary if the 40mph speed limit is enforced.

Comment on the A14; north and south and across it by Fred

Fred — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:57:40 +0000

David Sharp – you are not alone. I also got the strong impression that the rush hour traffic flow was improved when the lights were broken. I wrote to the council asking why they bothered to keep fixing them but nobody replied. And why on earth they aren’t switched off outside peak hours is beyond me (but then that applies to most of the traffic lights in the country).

Interesting point (Richard Bowers) on crossing the on ramps at busy times on a bike. I cycle across there a lot but on evenings/weekends when it’s not a problem. Cycling on the road sounds like a good solution. When it comes to resentment I think it’s important to remember that there is a subtle difference between a driver who simply thinks that you shouldn’t be allowed to hold them up – which I think is actually very rare – and a driver who is bewildered by what you are doing because they aren’t a cyclist and so don’t understand the world from that perspective.