Whittlesey Relief Road consultation: Public invited to share views on proposed options

Residents, businesses and other stakeholders are being given an opportunity to view and comment on initial options for the project, which aims to address traffic issues and boost future growth and connectivity in the area.

Consultation materials will be available to view at Whittlesey Town Council offices throughout the consultation, which runs from Wednesday 23 October to Friday 22 November.

There will also be two in-person consultation events, and an online event.

For more information and to share your views, visit: Whittlesey Relief Road Consultation

Cllr Chris Seaton, Fenland District Council's portfolio holder for transport and Chair of the Whittlesey Relief Road project, said: "This is a vital project for Whittlesey, Fenland as a whole and the wider region too. Growing traffic challenges are a daily frustration for many and a barrier to the future prosperity of the area too.

"This consultation is a key part of the project board's commitment to ensuring the voice of the Whittlesey community is heard and that the final options reflect the needs of everyone concerned. We encourage as many people as possible to participate and share their views."

The public consultation follows the creation of a multi-agency Whittlesey Relief Road project board and appointment of consultants Mott MacDonald in October 2023 to evidence the need for a relief road and drive the project forward.

Mott MacDonald is leading on a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) for the road, a crucial piece of work that will examine a range of transport solutions, assess whether the relief road is the best option to push forward - and be used to help secure government funding to make it happen.

Since October 2023, the consultants have been working with officers from Fenland District Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, the Environment Agency and various transport providers to review existing transport data and evidence, set out the issues Whittlesey faces and look at options that may resolve or help to resolve those issues.

Now the project work to date and a shortlist of four options is being put out to public consultation.

Feedback on the options will be used to inform the final option designs for inclusion in the SOBC, which will be completed in early 2025.

Cllr Chris Boden, Leader of Fenland District Council and project board member, said: "Whittlesey residents have waited many years for this to come to fruition and although there are many more stages to overcome, as is the case with large infrastructure projects, this is a step in the right direction.

"The public consultation and ongoing SOBC work will help to ensure that we make an evidence-based decision about the right transport solution for Whittlesey's needs."

Have your say

View the consultation materials and take part in the consultation survey at:

• Whittlesey Relief Road Consultation

Consultation materials will also be available to view at Whittlesey Town Council offices at Peel House, 8 Queen Street, Whittlesey, PE7 1AY, throughout the consultation period. The offices are open between 9.30am and 1pm, Monday to Friday (closed Saturdays and Sundays).

There will also be three public consultation events:

• In person: Friday 25 October, 8am to 12noon, at Whittlesey Town Council offices, Peel House, 8 Queen Street, Whittlesey, PE7 1AY.
• In person: Saturday 9 November, 10am to 3pm, at Aldi supermarket, Eastrea Road, Eastrea, PE7 2AE.
• Online: Tuesday 12 November, 6pm to 8pm, online via Microsoft Teams. Email transportandaccess@fenland.gov.uk to book your place.

Anyone unable to access the survey online or attend an event can:

• Email their views to the Transport team at Fenland District Council at: transportandaccess@fenland.gov.uk.
• Telephone the team on 01354 622445.
• Pick up a printed copy of the survey from Whittlesey Town Council offices, Peel House, 8 Queen Street, Whittlesey, PE7 1AY.