Changes to Bus Services

Stagecoach and Whippet services are changing from Sunday 29 November 2009. The attached table shows which services are changing and the impact of that change.

Timetables and information for all the services in the table can be obtained directly from Stagecoach or Whippet Coaches (or see here).

The main changes that will affect King's Hedges residents are that the Citi 1 service will stop going down Wulfstan Way and will instead use Queen Edith's Way.

The Citi 4 service will also be changing it's route in Orchard Park.

Three new Guided Bus services (two Stagecoach and one Whippet) will start running.

Transport Innovation Fund (TIF)

The Council meeting on Tuesday, as you may have detected in the press (here, here, and here amongst others!), was a slightly more lively affair than usual. The main topic of debate was always going to be the TIF bid (including the proposal for the congestion charge trigger point). There was lots of opportunity for people to speak, but in the end lots of people were unable to speak as time ran out.

People spoke from both sides of the debate; Shona Johnstone (CON) in particular spoke in favour of the TIF bid - it was interesting to see the force of her argument wielded against something other than the Liberal Democrat Opposition to the Councils private Policy Planning Meetings! In contrast was Peter Reeve (the newest member of the Council from UKIP) who spoke in opposition to the motion but while he was unable to offer any solution to the problem of congestion he did raise the issue of the Carrot and Stick approach. He just didn't like the size of the stick, or for that matter the size of the Carrot!

Whilst I don't agree with his opposition to TIF the idea of "Carrot and Stick" struck a cord with me; a congestion charge is not something that I believe should be anything other than an absolute last resort (when literally all else has failed). It's for this reason I voted in favour on Tuesday - for me the idea of "trigger points" is exactly the right way to go. If all else fails then we'll have a congestion charge - but ONLY if all else fails.

It does have to be pointed out though; We are only going to avoid a congestion charge by working together - not just as individuals but collectively in the organisations that we all represent. Is it really necessary that we all start work or school at 8.30? Is it really necessary we all get to where we need to be by car? If it is necessary then the future will definitely contain a charge - there is simply no way to avoid it. The roads are finite and if the number of cars keeps increasing journey times and pollution will get worse and whatever trigger point the County, District, and City Councils decide upon will be met. Even if there was no congestion charge the situation would still be intolerable!

Hopefully the mere possibility that there could be a charge, and the fact that any potential charge is many years away, will give us the time we need to adjust our lives in order to allow us to avoid it.

Open space on corner of Woodhead Drive and Milton Road

The state of the open space just on the corner of Woodhead Drive and Milton Road was drawn to my attention in the summer holidays.

Since then I've got several people at the City Council to investigate and work towards turning this rather unpleasant space into an asset.

Last Thursday the City Rangers arranged a visit by the Community Payback team to cut back and tidy up the area and the result is stunning:That had been all overgrown and full of litter before last Thursday.

Today I had an email telling me that the land will soon be transferred into the ownership of the City. The next step is to find some way of making it even nicer.

So...

First, big thanks to the Rangers and everyone else for the help so far.

Secondly if anyone knows of similar projects elsewhere in King's Hedges we can out the Payback team on then the Rangers (and the team!) would be keen to know.

Finally, If you have any ideas for the area we'd be keen to hear from you. When the transfer is complete I hope to arrange a public meeting.

Planning application on Markham Close

There is one planning application for the ward on the weekly list this week.

It is for "Erection of one 2-bed dwelling with associated parking and site works" on "Land Adjacent" to 35 Markham Close. The reference number is 09/0914/FUL and you can get more details in the usual ways, have a look at the City Council development control webpages. You can see plans at City Homes North on Arbury Rd, Milton Rd library or the Guildhall (amongst other places).

(From memory I think that is near the corner with Lavendar Road, so I've added that keyword.)

As always any problems or concerns contact one of the team.

Transport Innovation Fund (TIF)

At the next County Council meeting on the 13th October we will be discussing, and voting, on the Conservative Administrations' application for funding from the Transport Innovation Fund.

The headline for this will be that it could lead to a congestion charge being implemented for Cambridge City in 2017 (eight years time) providing certain, as yet unspecified, trigger-points are reached (levels of congestion, pollution, etc).

As a first stage, the Conservative Administration is asking for early confirmation of Government funding for Chesterton Station which would then be built in 2012 (three years earlier than planned).

As I'm your representative on the County Council I'd be very interested in hearing your views. If you have any questions relating to the TIF proposal either add a comment or send me an email. and I'll try to provide answers.

This is going to be an on-going issue for several years (well, assuming this doesn't fall at the first hurdle on Tuesday!) so there will be plenty of time for people to comment and we (the Lib Dem group on the County) are expecting lots of votes down the line on various aspects of the TIF proposal - I will Blog these as and when they come up.

New Leaflet: "Houses on the Cheap"

We are currently delivering a newspaper/leaflet across the division.

In case you haven't seen it yet, or if you are interested in viewing the leaflet electronically it is available from The Straight Choice website by clicking here.

Unfortunately the Straight Choice website is currently experiencing technical difficulties so at the moment you're not able to search for "local" leaflets using your Postcode - hopefully this will be resolved in time for the General Election next year!

We are always looking for more deliverers in Cambridge. If you are interested in delivering leaflets and becoming more involved in your area please get in touch.

Pro-Wicken Fen Petition (Number 10 Website)

For those of you who aren't aware the National Trust is currently working on a very long-term project (it could take 100 years!) called "Wicken Fen" that will create a new nature reserve just outside Cambridge (to the north-east of the city). When completed this nature reserve will be the largest in lowland England.

Further details of the project are available from the National Trust website;

http://www.wicken.org.uk/vision.htm

The petition says; "We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to support the National Trust’s Vision for Wicken Fen, its far-sighted plan to preserve an endangered natural habitat for future generations."

If you'd like to sign the petition then the direct link is;

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/wickenfenvision/

Emergency tree work in Mansel Ct

One of the trees in Mansel Ct is causing a safety issue.

To avoid accidents an emergency tree works will be taking place.

The tree will be replaced, we have been told this year. As always if you have any concerns get in touch.

Yet more GB works on King's Hedges Road...

Andy Pellew has just warned me that the Guided Busway needs more works on King's Hedges Road between Histon Road and Chariot Way.

The works have to take place at night (between 7pm and 11.30pm) on Thursday and Friday this week. The work is being done at those times as they would cause excessive congestion otherwise. We have been assured that the cutting machines are as quiet as possible.

Local residents should have had a letter warning them of details.

Let us know if this causes any problems or if the work doesn't stop at the scheduled times.

The out of hours noise service is available on 01223 457457 if the machines are not as advertised (although the works have been approved by South Cambs and the City and so this shouldn't be the case!)

Another way to stay in touch

We've just sent the second King's Hedges email newsletter out.

We promise not to clutter up your inbox too much (the first was back in August!) and only the King's Hedges team will send out emails.

To subscribe enter your email address in this page or send an email to sympa@lists.libdems.org.uk saying

subscribe kingshedges

with no subject.

Or just ask one of us to sign you up.

Planning applications on Ramsden Square and Amwell Road

Two applications to report this time. Both for single storey extensions.

In Ramsden Square it is for a rear extension to number 5. Planning reference 09/0867/FUL. In Amwell Road it is a front extension to number 7, reference 09/0872/FUL.

More details from the City Council website as usual. In case of difficulty get in touch with the team.

National "Freeview" Re-tune on Wednesday!

Due to changes in the way Freeview is broadcast everyone (across the whole of the UK) will need to re-tune their Freeview boxes (and Digital TV's) at about lunch-time on Wednesday 30th September*.

More information is available from the Freeview website (click here), you can find easy-to-follow retune guides for popular makes and models which can be printed or emailed at:

http://www.tvretune.co.uk/productmanuals/

If you experience any problems you can contact Freeview on 08701 111 270.

This change will affect anyone using a Freeview box, Freeview + digital TV recorder or digital TV (including Freeview PC cards). If you receive your TV from Sky, Virgin, or via Freesat these changes will not affect you.

*- You have to wait until after this date to re-tune, re-tuning early will just mean you have to retune again once Freeview have made the changes.

Rubbish row yesterday

If you went into the city centre yesterday you may have seen "Rubbish Row". This was an event organised by the Cleaner Cambridge Campaign in partnership with the City Council. I was there in my role as Executive Councillor for Environmental and Waste Services.

The idea was to remind people of the problems caused by dropping litter and alert them to the amount of rubbish that the City Council cleans up. The row was two days worth of litter picked from all over the city by the City Council. I have been promised some photos and will put them up when I get them.

It was also useful as it gave people a chance to talk to City officers and campaigners about problem areas near them. The Council can then act on the problems.

We provide a large number of bins in the city centre and in regional centres (like Campkin Piazza) but some people still drop litter. Part of our message yesterday was to remind people that we have an enforcement team who (along with the police) can issue £75 fixed penalty notices. We'd far rather we didn't have to however.

We also used the opportunity to promote the new blue bin system. The bins should be delivered in late October, and the collections start on 16 November. Your first blue bin collection will be the day of your next green bin collection after that date. Contact us or the City Council if you have any concerns.

e-Cops Update (from Janice Upex)

Warrants - A drugs warrant was executed last week on Minerva Way. Police are still making enquiries, if you have any information that can assist with the investigation please don't hesitate to contact the team on 03454564564.

Vehicle Nuisance - You'll be pleased to know that reported vehicle crime and the use of mini-moto's have decreased across the North of the city.

Successful Arrest - A person who has been wanted for some time for a public order incident was successfully arrested last week by our Neighbourhood constables PC Gallagher and PC Ware.

The Next Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Meeting is on Thursday 24th September at 7.30pm at no.37 Lawerance Way,on Campkin Road (next to Tesco's), everyone welcome.

"20 is Plenty" on Northfield Avenue

At the end of July the Police installed traffic monitoring equipment on Northfield Avenue for a full week in order to collect data on the number and speeds of vehicles travelling along this road.

The overall results were very encouraging; just a little under 90% of vehicles were travelling under 35mph.

Unfortunately a little over 3% of people were travelling in excess of 40mph.

Seven people (one person a day) were caught driving between 58mph and 68mph. No-one drove over 68mph.

The petition to have a 20mph speed limit on Northfield Avenue outside the school is still active, if you'd like to sign the link is here.

New Leaflet: "Thank You!"

We are working hard to delivery a "Thank You" leaflet following my election victory in the County Council elections and Andrew Duff's in the European Elections earlier in the year. It should have gone out to most areas in King's Hedges as you're reading this but in case you haven't seen it an electronic version is available from The Straight Choice website.

We are always looking for more deliverers across the ward. If you are interested in delivering leaflets and becoming more involved in your area please get in touch.

10:10 Campaign

10:10 is an ambitious project to unite every sector of British society behind one simple idea: that by working together we can achieve a 10% cut in the UK’s carbon emissions in 2010.

Cambridge City Council has already signed up to the campaign and committed itself to attempting to meet this very ambitious target. In addition a number of City and County Councillors (including myself) have signed up as individuals.

Everyone is invited to make a commitment through the website 10:10UK;

Appeal for witnesses

The Cambridge News report a robbery on the path between Campkin Road and Ramsden Square on Sunday evening around 9.40pm.

An appeal for witnesses has been made by Det Sgt Cooper.

The first man is described as white, age between 28 and 33, 5ft 7ins tall, with a muscular build. He was wearing casual clothing and a black hooded top.

The second is described as white, between 28 and 33, 5ft 6ins tall, with a slim build. He was wearing a white hooded jumper.

(Quoted from the article.)

If you saw anything please contact Parkside police station on 0345 4564564 or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555111 (anonymously).

The team are investigating what options might be for improved lighting on the path.

Planning application for Citygate

An application has been made to erect "five 2-bed and three 1-bed" flats and "works to parking area" at Citygate, which is a block of flats on the corner of Woodhead Drive and Milton Road.

The application has reference 09/0769/FUL, and more information can be obtained from the development control pages of the City Council website.

A reminder that you can see applications in person at City Homes North on Arbury Road and Milton Road Library (More information including opening hours).

Using the Guided Bus from King's Hedges

In only a few months the Guided Bus will start running into the Centre of Cambridge and while the busses will not be going through the heart of King's Hedges they will be passing very close by - close enough so that if you live on the Northerly or the Easterly edges of the ward it will be quicker getting to the centre using the Guided Bus.

From Stagecoach the Day Rider ticket will be changed to cover both the Guided (as far as Oakington) and Citi busses.

Unfortunately the cross-provider tickets the Liberal Democrat group had been hoping for (i.e. tickets that allowed you to travel on either Whippet or Stagecoach) don't look like they have materialised - which in my view is a huge missed opportunity. In what I'm sure will lead to more than a bit of annoyance the ticketing system has been designed so that you need to purchase your ticket and choose your operator before the bus has arrived. So, to paraphrase Clint Eastwood; Are you feeling lucky??

The four new stops in the area are; Orchard Park (East and West), Cambridge Regional College, and the Science Park (see below);

The full map, listing all the stops in Cambridge, is available from the County Council website (click here). Ticketing and Pricing information is available either from the County Council website (here) or direct from Stagecoach or Whippet.