£6 million urged to push A141 St Ives Improvement

£6 million urged to push A141 St Ives Improvement

The Transport and Infrastructure Committee of the Combined Authority today decided to recommend that the Combined Authority Board pushes the A141 St Ives Improvement scheme to the next stage by releasing £6 million to fund the Outline Business Case. 

After an update by officers, the Transport and Infrastructure Committee noted the progress of the A141 St Ives Improvement Scheme and unanimously voted to move the project forward. 

The A141 and St Ives Improvements scheme, which has had input from local people and businesses during an early public engagement, will progress the completed Strategic Outline Business Case to meet possible future Department for Transport requirements for any grant funding.   

This means preparing an Outline Business Case to meet the government’s ‘Green Book’ 5-case standards for good value and public benefit – as well as the Combined Authority’s and CCC’s assurance requirements – including giving a preferred scheme, robust costings, a preliminary design, and full supporting information. 

A key task is to check the SOBC outcomes against updated guidance, such as the requirements to design in high-quality infrastructure for safe cycling; to assess the carbon implications of the scheme; and to deliver at least 20% net increase in biodiversity.  

Once the SOBC has been reviewed and any implications of this work established, the scheme can move forward into the OBC stage – initially expected to cost £6 million and be completed across the two financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24.