The Highways Agency has unveiled a scheme to upgrade the A14 between Huntingdon & Cambridge costing approximately £1.5bn. Hopes for such a development will see the changes tackle congestion and issues with journey time reliability along the ever populated road.
The FTA has however raised concerns that HGV drivers and haulage companies will have to pick up the shortfall in funding for the plans, which will mostly be funded by central government with some contributions from local authorities and local enterprise partnerships.
The proposals include a 12 mile bypass around Huntingdon, which the HA said is likely to be tolled; widening of some areas of the A14 and A1; de-trunking the A14 in Huntingdon to improve traffic flow into the town; and upgrading some junctions.
The FTA is now calling for the industry to be closely involved in discussions about how the 22-mile upgrade, which is scheduled to begin development in 2016, will be funded.
Head of road network management policy Malcolm Bingham said: “What is plain is that charges or tolls will not affect the need to take goods and services to the customer. Those journeys will have to be made, the toll will have to be paid and transport companies will aim to pass on those extra costs to the customer.”
Charges have yet to be agreed, but the HA said prices could be set between £1 and £1.50 for light goods vehicles and “around double this amount” for LGVs. It expects that the charge will be in place between the hours of 6am and 10pm, seven days a week, and will be enforced using an automatic number plate recognition system.
The FTA has drawn up a toll charter, which sets parameters for what it considers a reasonable charging regime to be. The charter will be included in discussions about the tolls and includes calls for a compensatory reduction in fuel duty, the availability of an alternative non-tolled route and the toll revenue invested into the roads they apply to.
The plans are open for consultation until 13/10/2013 and are also open for public viewing throughout September and October.
source; www.commercialmotor.com
