Year-long closure of southbound Histon Road delayed so A14 junction work can be completed

Plans to close one of the busiest roads into Cambridge for up to a year have been pushed back to allow the A14 works to be completed around the affected junctions.

The Greater Cambridge Partnership’s transport director, Peter Blake, told a meeting of its executive board yesterday (Thursday October 3) that the closure of the Cambridge-bound stretch of Histon Road is expected to begin in April or May.

The diversion for the road closure will take drivers from junction 32 to junction 33 on the A14, and into the city via Milton Road.

Mr Blake told the board the construction and road closure would not begin until the works on those A14 junctions are completed.

Construction had been expected to start in the new year, but the GCP said following further consultation it would wait for Highways England to finish its works in the area, sparing drivers from being caught in both sets of roadworks.

The GCP says workers will be on-site from the new year, whereas they had been due to be on site from November 11.

The £6million roadworks will increase capacity on the road, creating new junctions, bus lanes and cycle routes.

When construction begins, Histon Road will be closed city-bound between Huntingdon Road and Kings Hedges Road, with traffic still able to use the road northbound.

Private car users will be encouraged to use the Park & Ride facility at Milton Road and then travel into the city using the Park & Ride.

The £10 million scheme will see new bus and cycle lanes added on Histon Road as part of the GCP’s wider infrastructure changes to encourage sustainable transport.

There have been concerns from businesses about the impact of the closure.

The decision will have a knock-on effect on plans to upgrade Milton Road, as work is not expected to begin there until Histon Road is upgraded.

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