Progress Report – August 2008

A day time survey of traffic passing through the village on B1040 was carried out on 12 July 2008. Detailed results can be viewed at Hilton Traffic Count 2008

During a twelve hour period between 06:00 and 18:00 a total of 5,298 motorised vehicles were observed. This is 3% higher than counted in last survey in July 2006.

The breakdown was 76% cars, 14% Light Goods Vehicles, 8% Heavy Goods Vehicles, 1% Buses and 1% other motor vehicles.

530 cars per hour were passing through during the commuter rush hours 7am-8am and 4am-6pm. This is a massive 21% increase in only two years.

Many thanks go to Margaret Shardlow and her team of volunteer observers for their painstaking work on this survey.

Future traffic counts will include rush hour counts on Graveley Way.

On 4th June a number of Hilton residents explained Hilton’s problems with speeding at the St Ives Area Neighbourhood Police Consultation Panel. It is encouraging that there have since been a number of Police road side speed checks to identify speeding motorists and lorry drivers. However, the deterrent effect of such checks is inevitably extremely short lived and we will continue to press for the speed limits to be enforced 24/7.

The existing traffic calming is not working and speeding is a major issue. Hilton Parish Council has submitted a bid for 2009/2010 funding from Cambridgeshire County Highways Jointly Funded Minor Improvement Scheme for physical speed reduction road engineering measures. However, the funds available within this scheme are very limited and HAT will continue to pursue all avenues that can lead to a comprehensive and effective solution.

Highways Agency has advised that a final decision on the configuration of a junction on A1198 with the new A14 (south of Wood Green) will not be made until late September 2008. Highways Agency favour a part junction with only west facing slip roads to/from A14. Our view is that on balance there are no obvious advantages to Hilton in this junction and there could be a number of disadvantages in terms of the volume of traffic transiting Hilton. We are working with the A14 Action Group and Parish Council to press for an early meeting with Highways Agency to gain further information and to express our concerns.