Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme Preliminary Environmental Information Report April 2014
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Safe roads, reliable journeys, informed travellers Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme Preliminary environmental information report A14 April 2014 An executive agency of the Department for Transport This document is the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme Preliminary Environmental Information Report. It provides an initial statement of the main environmental information available for the study area, along with descriptions of the likely environmental effects and mitigation measures envisaged for the proposed scheme. This document is intended to give members of the public an understanding of the key issues and enable them to prepare well-informed responses to consultation. It should be noted that at this stage the information is preliminary. An iterative process of scheme development and environmental impact assessment is ongoing. The assessment undertaken for this report is based mainly on the scheme at the stage the design was at in January 2014. However, for consistency with the spring 2014 consultation material, the April 2014 proposed scheme design is shown in the figures of this report, unless otherwise specified. Chapter 1 summarises the main design differences. In most cases, any differences are very small and do not give rise to material changes in impacts. Possible exceptions to this are detailed below: Borrow pit locations: Recent amendments have been made to proposed borrow pit locations and Appendix A (Borrow Pit Development) provides an assessment of possible environmental impacts. Brampton interchange arrangement: This is described in Chapter 4 (Outline of Main Scheme Alternatives), Box 4.1 (Proposed Layout for Brampton Interchange). At the time of undertaking the assessment for this report, the April 2014 proposed Brampton layout, shown on Figure 4.1 of this report, emerged as an alternative arrangement. The ongoing process of design development and assessment now identifies this arrangement as the proposed layout and it thus forms part of the April 2014 proposed scheme and is referred to as the proposed Brampton layout in the spring 2014 consultation material. In addition to ongoing refinement of the scheme design, the traffic model was also refined during the period of this preliminary assessment. The traffic figures used to provide the data for the preliminary environmental information assessments therefore slightly differ from the figures shown on the spring 2014 consultation material. The difference in flows is not envisaged to be significant. A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme Preliminary Environmental Information Report Preface The Highways Agency is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of the trunk road and motorway network in England. The Highways Agency‟s key objectives are to achieve safe roads and reliable journeys for informed travellers. In late 2013, the Highways Agency appointed a consortium of consultants known as J2A (Jacobs, Aecom and Arup) as the Designer for the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme. The role of the Designer includes preparation of the preliminary design of the proposed scheme, carrying out the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and preparation of the application to the Secretary of State through the Planning Inspectorate (as responsible agency) for a Development Consent Order (DCO). The Secretary of State for Transport will make the final decision on whether or not a DCO is granted for the scheme. B2410000/3/D/R/0007 Version: 4 Issued: 04/14 ii A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme Preliminary Environmental Information Report Page left intentionally blank. B2410000/3/D/R/0007 Version: 4 Issued: 04/14 iii A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme Preliminary Environmental Information Report Contents 5.2 Local Environment ............................................................................................................ 16 5.3 Potential Impacts on Air Quality ....................................................................................... 19 Preface ........................................................................................................................................ ii 5.4 Potential Impacts on Noise and Vibration ......................................................................... 20 NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY ................................................................................................. viii 5.5 Chapter Summary ............................................................................................................ 21 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 6 CULTURAL HERITAGE.................................................................................................. 22 1.1 A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme ....................................................... 1 6.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 22 1.2 Environmental Impact Assessment .................................................................................... 1 6.2 Archaeological Remains ................................................................................................... 22 1.3 Purpose of this Report ........................................................................................................ 2 6.3 Built Heritage .................................................................................................................... 23 1.4 Scope and Content of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report.......................... 2 6.4 Historic Landscape ........................................................................................................... 23 1.5 Human Health Impacts ....................................................................................................... 3 6.5 Potential Impacts during Construction .............................................................................. 23 1.6 Summary of EIA Process ................................................................................................... 3 6.6 Potential Mitigation during Construction ........................................................................... 27 1.7 Availability of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report ....................................... 4 6.7 Potential Impacts during Operation .................................................................................. 27 1.8 A Note about Data and Figures .......................................................................................... 4 6.8 Potential Mitigation for Impacts from Operation ................................................................ 27 2 SCHEME BACKGROUND ................................................................................................ 5 6.9 Chapter Summary ............................................................................................................ 27 2.1 Objectives of the Proposed Scheme .................................................................................. 5 7 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACTS .......................................................................... 28 2.2 Recent Scheme History ...................................................................................................... 5 7.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 28 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHEME .................................................................................... 7 7.2 Landscape and Townscape Character ............................................................................. 28 3.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................ 7 7.3 Views and Visual Amenity ................................................................................................ 29 3.2 Widening of the A1 ............................................................................................................. 7 7.4 Potential Impacts during Construction .............................................................................. 29 3.3 Huntingdon Southern Bypass ............................................................................................. 7 7.5 Potential Mitigation for Effects upon Landscape and Views from Construction ................ 30 3.4 Downgrading of the Existing A14 trunk road through Huntingdon ...................................... 7 7.6 Potential Impacts during Operation .................................................................................. 30 3.5 A14 Widening ..................................................................................................................... 7 7.7 Potential Mitigation for Effects upon Landscape and Views from Operation .................... 30 3.6 New Junctions and Junction Upgrades .............................................................................. 7 7.8 Chapter Summary ............................................................................................................ 31 3.7 Local Access Roads ......................................................................................................... 10 8 NATURE CONSERVATION ............................................................................................ 32 3.8 Provision for Pedestrians, Cyclists and Equestrians .......................................................