[Members] FeCRA Open letter to the Greater Cambridge City Deal

[Wendy Blythe]

Dear All,

This letter stating FeCRA's position regarding LLFs was sent yesterday to
City Deal Board and Assembly members.

Best wishes,

Wendy


*Open letter to the Greater Cambridge City Deal*


The Federation of Cambridge Residents Associations (FeCRA) was set up to
act on behalf of its members 'in respect of the built environment and the
provided public services, particularly in relation to strategic planning of
the city and its services, and the policies relating to those plans and
services'. We have always sought to be a conduit for good communication
and a voice of scrutiny about quality of life in Cambridge, and we take an
active interest in the larger region as well. We are firmly
non-party-political and non-partisan. We aim to present residents' views
honestly and robustly, so that the voice of the people of Cambridge can be
heard, along with those of political parties and lobby groups.



FeCRA has raised a number of issues about the Greater Cambridge City Deal
since its inception. Now that the 'preferred options' have been selected
for Milton and Histon Roads, and that for the Cambourne-Cambridge route is
about to be announced, 'Local Liaison Forums' have been set up.  These are
meant as opportunities for residents in affected areas to contribute to the
design of the finished projects. They are an obvious step for schemes that
have been given the go-ahead and need good local communication channels for
the implementation stage.



However, given the facts that residents in Milton and Histon Roads have
resoundingly rejected the options that were put to them in the
consultation, and that the A428 results are yet to be published,
the LLFs present something of a conundrum. As put by one Councillor to
County officers at an LLF meeting:  'So you are asking us to help you
design a scheme we are opposed to?'  There has been no satisfactory answer
to this question; the situation seems to put residents in a Catch-22.



People anxious about the impact of new bus roads/lanes, the widening of
their neighbourhood streets, the loss of front gardens and the negative
effect on verges, trees and the city's setting and green belt naturally
want to make sure they do not miss out on opportunities to have their say
about design. At the same time, the majority of people in the affected
areas appear to be opposed to the very programmes they are helping
to design 'mitigation' for.



FeCRA remains supportive of the residents and will send a representative to
the LLF meetings to observe. Yet we are also aware that residents'
participation in these Forums may later come to be relied on by the City
Deal as evidence of support for the various proposals. By this letter we
want to put on record that such participation does not indicate endorsement
or support for these schemes.



Wendy Blythe
Chair, FeCRA
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