Below is a list of what I’ve submitted to the capital works programme with a deadline of 20.00 Sunday 8 December for submissions. These are significant sized road maintenance projects. I have written a second more general article about road maintenance if you want more context but this article is trying to make sure I have submitted the important stuff. Not all of these projects will get funded but it is vital that we submit the most important areas. Please email or post on facebook under the relevant threads any areas you think I have missed with an explanation as to why it’s important. Important connecting routes will take a higher priority than other areas.

I will be adding Orchard Park submissions to this later today but need to do site visits.

What have I missed remembering it is only larger projects?

Clay Close Lane   Clay Close Lane was impassable due to flooding for several months this year.  It is not clear it drains anywhere, please if this is the case can this be connected into the drainage system for the awards drains. 

Pepys Terrace Road resurfacing  Residents say it has not been resurfaced since 1950, it is in desperate need of work.  Residents are desperate, they were promised by highways committee over 10 years ago that this would be resurfaced.   A road closure is acceptable. Any improvement is long overdue. Please can some work be authorised. 

Impington Lane Gullies collapsing – heavily used bus and school buses route plus key school cycling route

Impington Lane Carriageway failing – extremely heavily trafficked route for school buses and bus route, also critical for cyclists accessing Impington Village College site

Hereward Close Road failing appalling pot holes, nothing fixed, very well used residential area also critical cut through to access Impington Village College site for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Hereward Close Road failing appalling pot holes, nothing fixed, very well used residential area also critical cut through to access Impington Village College site for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Home Close Road failing appalling pot holes, nothing fixed, very well used residential area also critical through route to access High Street for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Milton Road 20mph to Clay Close lane carrieage way issues Road surface has completely failed, crucial road, repeated pot holes, road always apparently on resurfacing road but never gets high enough on lists, really dangerous issues.

Gatehouse Road/ (New road) to T junction Oakington/Girton/HIston Carriageway really poor quality at sides of road, dangerous, this is a very fast moving road there was a cyclist death near this junction, cars travel very fast can easily lose control, exacerbated by pot holes, also excessive weed growth worsening quality of carriageway.

Cambridge Road by Station Stores Carriage way issues road repeatedly fails, I think due to being in turning circle of buses exiting the busway – please could a serious case be made for the first 10 m to fall within the maintenance responsibility of the busway I am certain the failure of the road here is due to it being in the bus turning circle.   

Cambridge Road Triangular traffic island – This has been proven by parish council to be a county trees issue, trees need making safe, cutting back and making good. 

Along back of Burrough Field houses adjacent to B1049/ Bridge Road just south of busway bridge  – Trees massively over grown there is a very thin slip of county highways land on a map it looks tiny because it has a steep gradient but the trees are very overgrown, they are shading the properties in Burrough Field, regularly block the gullies on the B1049 due to tree debris and occasionally fall in the road.   The verge continues down to the junction with New Road , the trees are in perhaps a worse condition but less close to peoples’ homes. 

Station Road north Profoundly blocked drains, recurring flooding on critical route school route, have been advised will need a road closure this is an absolute priority residents have been promised for over 5 years it will be fixed, nothing ever happens. 

Chequers Road corner Failing cracked, potholed road surface now deteriorating fast.  On corner of Chequers Road this is a significant industrial route all lorries going to and from jam factory which makes majority of UK jam take this route.  The road is hammered also a key cycling route.  The potholes are growing and will need serious repair. 

Burgoynes Road – Key route to Household recycling centre/ A10/ IVC, school bus route for Milton.   Parts of road surface in very poor condition always pot holes.

Narrow close Crucial school route and much of carriageway in very poor repair, residents desperate for line painting to help on street parking from parents but road surface too poor, also well used road for cyclists, scooters, pedestrians, buggies as school families regularly walk in carriageway

Hereward Close & Homefield Close footways – The entire area needs assessment and a programme of resurfacing, footways are breaking up, the footways are in appalling repair in places.  It is a really important area in addition to providing a lot of social housing for those who are older and with physical disabilities it is also a really important cut through between the west of the village and the Impington Village College and recreation ground for cyclists and pedestrians, sites which are used extensively day and night.  This is a really important footway and needs a programme of works to address it.  

Kings Hedges Road near howgate road pedestrian island – a single bent and buckled safety barrier –  one would think this was an item of reactive maintenance but bearing in mind it was twice reported in 2022 adn repeatedly mentioned verbally since then I can only assume it is an item of such rarefied and exquisite value that the only way it will be fixed is through a capital project.  Yes that is sarcasm but I am absolutely at my wits end on this one. 

St Catharine’s road traffic island –  So over grown it looks as though the island is planning to take over the adjacent carriageway

Ellison Close – not clear any weed killing has ever occurred here please can I have confirmation this has happened here. 

Cambridge Road footway highfield Road to The Crescent  Footway surface breaking up needs significant patching / resurfacing

Woodcock Close – Extensive pot holing, the street needs a resurfacing treatment. 

New Road, Impington I am wary that this is a 5 year capital maintenance programme, the intensive nature of the use of this road and the critical role it plays in access to the village college means that it must be reviewed before the end of 5 years and must feature on a list.  Although it has had a significant level of work it is an incredibly important and challenging location and good maintenance is essential, the carrieageway typically distorts due to heavy bus usage from school and public bus services. 

New road, Impington New Road is now experiencing significant flooding in heavy rain, this is a critical route and it is not acceptable for students to have to wade through flood water whenever there is significant rain. 

New Road guided busway stretch carriagewar  Looks like it has not been resurfaced for 60 years or more.   Significant pot holing also regularly used as compound parking for guided bus works which is often challenging for road surface, other works such as Anglian Water have really caused damage. 

New road guided busway to b1049 footway south side the footway adjacent to the wooded area is unusable most of the time.  Whilst I can’t see this meeting any criteria an intelligent conversation with the parish council might lead to some long term pragmatic changes.   As there is a good quality footway on the north side of the road and many people walk in the road perhaps a conversation could be had about the viability of this footway but currently it is a hazard for those with poor mobility, wheelchair users or buggy users. 

Glebe Way/ Narrow Close/ Orchard Road  – drainage This area should never flood.  It is not particularly low lying all the issues recently have flowed from the gulley system in particular root ingress into the gulleys blocking drainage.  In October 2023 this lead to a weekend of water being pumped out and road closures due to the flooding.  I had repeatedly reported blocked gulleys in this area.   This gulley system must be systematically  relined to prevent root ingress this will save the Cambridgeshire tax payer money as the cost of dealing with repeated flooding must be much higher than the relining cost.  The entire system needs reviewing and reference paid to findings of gulley issues during the 2023 flood.

Station Road, Impington   drainage near Vision park Root ingress into gulleys is leading to recurring blocking and significant flooding. This is a very important cycle route.  Gulleys must be relined. 

Cambridge Road green verge at north end Dangerous overhanging trees in extremely poor condition – complicated ownership structure as the front strip of the verge is highways land but where the trees actually sit is ‘no owner’ or whatever the term is under land registry.  Two significant branch falls in last 18 months, one tree fall.  These trees pose a real risk to life.  Please can a conversation be had with the parish council who may have a mind to be pragmatic about sharing some of the costs for this work but there is a serious risk to life.

Raised Tables at Vision Park entrance, Cambridge Road/ The Coppice and New Road/Impington Lane have all been confirmed will be addressed this year.