Decisions

Matter for Decision:

Joint Response to Network Rail’s Ely Area Capacity Enhancements 2 consultation

Why the decision had to be made (and any alternative options):

To provide the Councils’ comments to this consultation in recognition of the opportunities it provides to influence Network Rail’s Ely Area capacity enhancements.

The Executive Councillor’s decision(s):

Agreed the Council’s joint response with South Cambridgeshire District Council to Network Rail’s Ely Area Capacity Enhancements 2 consultation

Reasons for the decision:

To agree the Council’s joint response with South Cambridgeshire District Council to Network Rail’s Ely Area Capacity Enhancements 2 consultation.

https://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ecCatDisplay.aspx?sch=doc&cat=13491

Background

The Ely area capacity enhancement (EACE) programme proposes to upgrade the railway to allow more trains to run through Ely.

The railway through Ely is operating at full capacity. This means that Network Rail cannot increase the number of services through Ely because the existing layout of the tracks, junctions, signals and existing speed restrictions across key bridges in the Ely area acts as a bottleneck on the network.

The aim of the EACE programme is to improve connectivity for passengers by providing an uplift in services to key destinations. Demand for rail freight is also growing and increasing capacity through Ely will support a shift from road to rail thereby providing a faster, greener, safer and more efficient way of transporting goods across the country; helping to remove lorries from roads and reduce congestion.

Earlier in 2021, Network Rail consulted on the options for upgrading the railway in the Ely South area, the results of which will be presented in 2022. This round of public consultation includes the options for remodelling the track at Ely North junction, Queen Adelaide level crossings options; and options for upgrading or closing other level crossings across the wider Ely area.

Details of the consultation are available at Network Rail’s Ely Area Consultation webpage: https://phase2b.elyareacapacity.com/

Features of the consultation relevant to Greater Cambridge

Features of the consultation relevant to Greater Cambridge comprise:

·      Overall approach – enhancements at Ely North junction supporting growth in wider area

·      No proposed interventions at Chesterton Level Crossing (Fen Road)

·      Changes proposed to two level crossings in Waterbeach including Bottisham Road/Bannold Road but more materially Burgess Drove, where there are two options consulted on: 1 – Remove vehicle crossing rights but retain access for pedestrians and cyclists; 2 - Close Burgess Drove Level crossing

Proposed response points

The proposed key response points and reasons supporting these are as follows. The proposed full response is provided at Appendix A which can be viewed at the link below:

https://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ecCatDisplay.aspx?sch=doc&cat=13491

·      The need for capacity enhancements at Ely North junction to be sufficient to cater for all planned growth, noting national and local priorities to support more sustainable travel

·      Request to reconsider the consultation’s proposal not to make any further intervention planned at Chesterton Level Crossing, given the significant current impact of downtime there and potential for further downtime with the additional planned growth in services.

·      Burgess Drove Level Crossing: Of the two options proposed, support option 1 - Remove vehicle crossing rights but retain access for pedestrians and cyclists, to support the Councils’ access to food growing and access to nature priorities, noting that the level crossing provides access for village residents to allotments and the River Cam.

Scrutiny consideration:

The Chair and Spokespersons of Planning & Transport Scrutiny Committee were consulted prior to the action being authorised.

Report:

Details of the background are set out in this Record of Decision. There are no relevant financial considerations.

Conflicts of interest:

None

Comments:

No adverse comments were made.

Matter for Decision:

Why the decision had to be made (and any alternative options):

The Executive Councillor’s decision(s):

Reasons for the decision:

Scrutiny consideration:

Conflicts of interest:

Comments:       

Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Preferred Options (Regulation 18) – Post Scrutiny Committee Changes

This decision relates to specific delegations to the Executive Councillor for Planning and Transport agreed at the Planning & Transport Scrutiny Committee 28 September 2021

The Local Plan is being prepared jointly for the Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council authority areas, the First Proposals consultation documents were considered by the following meetings:

•  Joint Local Plan Advisory Group (JLPAG) 8 September 2021

•  South Cambridgeshire District Council Scrutiny & Overview 21 September 2021

•  South Cambridgeshire District Council Climate and Environment Advisory Committee 21 September 2021

•  Cambridge Planning & Transport Scrutiny Committee 28 September 2021

•  South Cambridgeshire District Council Cabinet 1 October 2021

Following the meetings, and in liaison with JLPAG members, amendments have been identified to the Local Plan First Proposals document and supporting documents, responding to issues raised at the meetings and providing clarifications on a number of issues. These amendments are provided in a schedule appended to this decision as appendix 1 (which includes Annex 1: Greater Cambridge Local Plan: First Proposals Sustainability Appraisal (October 2021) and Annex 2: Greater Cambridge Local Plan: First Proposals Sustainability Appraisal Non-Technical Summary (October 2021), both revised to reflect changes in the schedule, and Annex 3: a finalised version the Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options Transport Evidence Report).

The purpose of this decision is to approve these amendments.

Note: To ensure an aligned agreement on these documents between Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, the South Cambridgeshire District Council Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy and Delivery is also taking an out of cycle decision on them at the same time.

To approve the amendments to the Greater Cambridge Local Plan First Proposals document and supporting documents as set out in the schedule appended to this decision. Supporting documents can be viewed at the link below:

Document Supporting Documentation - Cambridge Council

Outlined in the report why the decision had been made

The Chair and Opposition Spokes of Planning and Transport Scrutiny Committee were consulted prior to the action being authorised.                                  

None known.

No adverse comments were made.