Issue - meetings

Cycling Officers to speak about Fendon Road following September 2019 Open Forum question (minute reference 19/35/SAC).

Presentation to be followed by a question and answer session.

The Committee received a presentation from the County Council Group Manager - Major Infrastructure Delivery and Senior Project Officer.

The presentation outlined:

      i.          The roundabout had been delayed.

     ii.          The roundabout was not expected to be fully open until summer 2020 due to utility cables under it needing to be re-organised and re-routed.

   iii.          Queen Edith’s Way was expected to be open ahead of schedule in the near future ie March 2020.

The Group Manager - Major Infrastructure Delivery and Senior Project Officer said the following in response to questions from members of the public and committee:

      i.          The project costs had increased. A lot of work was going on to strengthen project governance and reduce future issues.

     ii.          £3.5m had been allocated to the general improvement of the area. Everyone concerned had been unaware of the multitude of utility cables under the roundabout before work started. Moving these increased costs.

   iii.          The significant number of utility cables meant these needed to be re-routed which delayed the project. Re-iterated utility companies and the County Council were not aware chambers were located under the roundabout. When these were discovered, utility companies (such as BT) were able to work collaboratively with the contractors to divert cables and relocate the chambers. As such these works were completed within a two month period (rather than the five months that would have been required if the diversion work had been carried out before the main works). The County Council retained a map of utility cables etc in the project area, but it would be too resource intensive to map these for the entire city.

   iv.          The work done by utility companies would future proof broadband in the local area by making cables more accessible and avoid infrastructure maintenance or upgrade work in the near future. This should benefit the community. Old water pipes had also been replaced as facilities were upgraded near the roundabout.

    v.          Utility companies will largely cover the costs of any upgrades to their networks, but the County Council has paid for diversions necessary as a result of the works. They were trying to recoup upfront costs from utility companies where possible.

   vi.          The County Council had undertaken all usual preparatory work, but in some instances utility companies did not have accurate maps of cables/pipes etc, these were only found when digging started.

 vii.          £800k was estimated for the roundabout pre-work commencing. Project costs rose to £1.8m due to the unplanned utility work. £3.5m was allocated for all project work in the area, so the overall project budget for a wider transport scheme/network in the area has not resulted in an overspend. Higher than expected costs had arisen for this part of the project. The project remained good value for money.

viii.          Consultation results led the County Council to believe residents wanted a Dutch style roundabout. The costs were a matter of public record. The cost/benefit analysis could be made available upon request (except any commercially sensitive information.

   ix.          The County Council Economy & Environment Committee approved work on the roundabout in 2016. Information events were held prior to the works so residents could find out details of the works programme, the impact on bus services etc. In 2020 new designs for Queen Edith’s Way would be developed.

    x.          The cycle paths will be separate from the main carriageway of the roundabout. The County Council had liaised with other local authorities to share knowledge on how to integrate cycleways with other infrastructure.

One member of the public encouraged the Greater Cambridge Partnership and County Council to produce a Draft Cambridgeshire Cycle Guide, based on Oxfordshire’s.