A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements Preliminary Environmental Information report Volume 1: Report June 2019 A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements Highways England Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 2. THE SCHEME .......................................................................................................... 8 3. ASSESSMENT OF ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................... 24 4. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY .......................................... 33 5. AIR QUALITY ......................................................................................................... 44 6. CULTURAL HERITAGE ......................................................................................... 53 7. LANDSCAPE ......................................................................................................... 72 i A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements Highways England Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 8. BIODIVERSITY ...................................................................................................... 86 9. GEOLOGY AND SOILS ....................................................................................... 106 10. MATERIAL ASSETS AND WASTE ...................................................................... 115 11. NOISE AND VIBRATION ..................................................................................... 122 12. POPULATION AND HEALTH .............................................................................. 129 13. ROAD DRAINAGE AND THE WATER ENVIRONMENT ..................................... 143 ii A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements Highways England Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 14. CLIMATE.............................................................................................................. 172 15. ASSESSMENT OF CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ...................................................... 182 16. SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... 193 17. REFERENCES ..................................................................................................... 194 18. GLOSSARY ......................................................................................................... 204 APPENDIX 6.1: KNOWN HERITAGE ASSETS ................................................................. 226 iii A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements Highways England Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 1. INTRODUCTION Introduction to the Preliminary Environmental Information Report Background 1.1.1. As the Government-owned company responsible for the operation, maintenance and improvement of England’s motorways and major A-roads, Highways England is proposing to undertake improvements to the A428 between the existing Black Cat roundabout and Caxton Gibbet roundabout (the Scheme), located east of Bedford. 1.1.2. Highways England is planning to make an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to the Planning Inspectorate (the Inspectorate) for the Scheme in early 2020. The Inspectorate will examine the DCO application and will make a recommendation to the Secretary of State on whether development consent for the Scheme should be granted or refused. 1.1.3. A statutory process of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is being undertaken for the Scheme to identify its likely significant effects on the environment, as required by the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (the EIA Regulations) [REF 1-1]. Purpose 1.1.4. This Preliminary Environmental Information (PEI) Report presents the emerging results of the EIA process, and has been compiled by Highways England in accordance with their statutory pre-application consultation obligations under the Planning Act 2008 [REF 1-2]. 1.1.5. PEI is defined in Section 12(2) of the EIA Regulations [REF 1-1] as: “…information referred to in regulation 14(2) which – (a) has been compiled by the applicant; and (b) is reasonably required for the consultation bodies to develop an informed view of the likely significant effects of the development (and of any associated development). 1.1.6. This PEI Report accordingly provides: a. a statement of the main environmental information gathered to date as part of the EIA process. b. an indication of the likely effects on the environment resulting from the construction, operation and future maintenance of the Scheme. c. a summary of the potential measures likely to be required to mitigate the environmental effects of the Scheme. 1.1.7. The information contained within this PEI Report has been produced to enable both specialist and non-specialist consultees gain an understanding of the likely environmental effects of the Scheme and to help inform their responses to statutory consultation (see Section 1.5). 1.1.8. In addition to supporting the statutory consultation, the information contained within this PEI Report will also be used by Highways England to support engagement with stakeholders, for example local landowners and businesses, statutory environmental bodies, relevant local planning authorities and local interest groups. 1 A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements Highways England Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 1.1.9. The information presented within this PEI Report is preliminary. It reflects the current design position of the Scheme and the status of the individual assessments being progressed as part of the EIA, and is subject to change following statutory consultation. 1.1.10. Feedback received from the statutory consultation will be considered within both the design of the Scheme and the EIA, the final outcomes of which will be reported in an Environmental Statement. The Environmental Statement will confirm the scale and significance of the Scheme’s likely environmental effects and any measures required to mitigate those effects. 1.1.11. The Environmental Statement will form one of a number of documents comprising the DCO application. Overview and Need for the Scheme 1.2.1. The A428 connects communities between St Neots and Cambourne and links the East of England to important regional, national and international hubs such as the Felixstowe and Harwich ports. The route also connects Bedford, Milton Keynes and the M1 motorway to Cambridge and the M11 motorway and is used by both local and long- distance traffic. 1.2.2. Between St Neots and Cambridge, the A428 is the only stretch of single carriageway along this route and motorists are subject to regular delays and congestion. There are also a high number of incidents along the route, with delays directly affecting journey times. 1.2.3. There is potential for significant growth in the local area, with new housing and transport developments likely to come forward in the near future which will exacerbate the current problems on this section of the road network. 1.2.4. The Department for Transport outlined in its Road Investment Strategy for the 2015- 2020 period [REF 1-3] the case for “improvement of the A428 near St Neots, linking the A421 to Milton Keynes with the existing dual carriageway section of the A428 to Cambridge… The scheme is expected to include significant improvements to the Black Cat roundabout, where the A1 currently meets the A421”. 1.2.5. Since the announcement, Highways England has developed, consulted upon and assessed a range of different options for the Scheme (see Chapter 3), the purpose being to develop a solution that, on balance, best addresses the problems and issues associated with the A428 between the existing Black Cat and Caxton Gibbet roundabouts . 1.2.6. Following an evaluation of these options in 2017, Highways England confirmed its preferred route for the Scheme on 18 February 2019 (see Chapter 2). 1.2.7. In summary, the preferred route for the Scheme comprises the following key features: a. An 18.6 kilometres long new dual carriageway, which will connect the Black Cat roundabout and Caxton Gibbet roundabout. b. A new three tier junction at Black Cat roundabout, which will allow traffic to flow freely. c. New junctions at Caxton Gibbet and Cambridge Road, which will connect the new dual carriageway to the existing A428. d. A new Roxton Road link, which will connect Wyboston and Chawston. e. New bridges crossing over the new dual carriageway at Roxton Road, Barford Road and Chawston. 2 A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements Highways England Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 f. New bridges over the River Great Ouse and the East Coast Main Line railway. g. Retention of the existing A428 between St Neots and Caxton Gibbet, for local traffic and public transport. h. Retention of existing bus stops on the A1. i. All local roads will be maintained although direct access to the A1 from some roads will be removed for safety reasons. j. Safer and alternative access to side roads at Chawston, Wyboston and Eltisley. k. Safer routes for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, which will maintain links with existing public rights of way. l. Better connections to St Neots town centre and train station. Legislative and Policy Framework Planning Act 2008 1.3.1. The Scheme is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) under Section 22 of the Planning Act 20081 [REF 1-2] as,