Fact and Fiction - A new settlement at Wilburton would only add to congestion on the A10

The "fiction" and "fact" below is from the 2002 Wilburton proposal, with a comment from the current Mereham proposal added.

FICTION: A new settlement at Wilburton would only add to congestion on the A10.

FACT: Congestion on the A10 is increasing every year and will continue, whether or not a new settlement is built at Wilburton. To ensure that the new homes do not simply add to the problem, the promoter for Wilburton new settlement has demonstrated that it can quickly provide alternatives that will not add to the increasing number of cars on the road.

THEY NOW SAY:Buses will get between Cambridge and Ely 20 minutes quicker in peak times then they do it currently outside of peak times. And hint that traffic will be reduced by the development.

WE SAY: Real opinion from real people who do the real journey everyday says this is fiction. The car is the choice of most people to get to work - as the buses only go to specific destinations - such as the centre of Cambridge. So you still have to get to where you actually work. If the buses are going to go to every place of employment they will take hours. If you have to change buses in Cambridge it can add a considerable time to your journey (for example the Addenbrookes Park and Ride service can add 40 minutes peak travel time into Addenbrookes - that's real figures, not computer modelling).

People will still use their cars. If you have kids to drop off or collect you need the convenience of a car. If you travel for work you need you car nearby, not in a park and ride car park 12 miles away. If your hours aren't set to 9-5 then it's handy to have a car so you know you can get home. And if the weather is cold, wet, windy, or even too hot, most cars offer a great deal more comfort then crossing a car park to get to a bus stop. People will use their cars, and congestion will get worse.

As for the current A10 widening proposals - they are both unsafe (the A10 has too many minor access junctions to make the use of a WS2 wide road scheme feasible, and if all junctions were to be built as claimed then there will be excessive flow rate change along the route which is a major cause of accidents on such roads - common sense and local knowledge highlights this, not computer modelling). They do not alter the fact that the main cause of congestion is the junction with the A14 in Milton.

OUR VERDICT: FICTION

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