Final Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro public exhibition cancelled, but online consultation to continue until Friday 3 April

Final Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro public exhibition cancelled, but online consultation to continue until Friday 3 April

The final public exhibition to display plans for the Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro (CAM) has been cancelled in accordance with government guidance to limit public events, the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority has announced. The exhibition, which was due to be held at The Hauser Forum on the University of Cambridge West Cambridge site on Friday 20 March, would have been the last in a series of six public events being held as part of the current consultation that focuses on the need for and benefits of CAM, and the potential route alignments for the City Tunnel Section.

Despite the cancellation, the consultation is set to continue as planned until Friday 3 April, with copies of all consultation materials and a digital feedback form available to view and complete online at www.cam.consultationonline.co.uk. The Mayoral Combined Authority would strongly encourage those who have not done so already to view the proposals online and to provide their thoughts on the plans, which have already generated significant interest, with over 1,000 attendees at the first five public exhibitions, over 400 feedback submissions and over 6,000 visits to the website.

A spokesperson for CAM said: ‘While of course it is disappointing not to have this additional opportunity to hear from the general public in person at this early stage, we have taken this decision to protect the welfare of local residents, stakeholders and our staff, which is of paramount important to us, and in accordance with the latest Government guidance regarding Covid-19. We would like to thank everyone who has engaged in the consultation to date and would encourage anyone who has not yet done so to view the proposals and let us know their views.’

Mayor James Palmer said: ‘In these troubled times public safety must come first, but it is still disappointing to have to cancel our final CAM public exhibition, particularly as I have been delighted by the high turnout at the exhibition events and the feedback we have received to date.

We do not yet know what the full effect this pandemic will have on our economy, we need to keep on delivering for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough both now and into the future. CAM is a vital infrastructure project that will connect key regional centres of employment, with existing settlements, railway stations and planned growth, to create a platform for sustainable and inclusive growth across the region, and it is vital to hear local people’s views on our plans. I strongly encourage you to visit the website, view the consultation materials and provide us with your feedback, which will help to influence the evolution of the proposals.’

For more information on the CAM plans, to view the consultation materials and provide your feedback, please visit https://cam.consultationonline.co.uk. The consultation closes on Friday 3 April. If members of the public have any questions regarding CAM, they are advised to contact the project team via phone on 01223 608001 (09:00 – 17:30, Mon to Fri) or by email at cam@consultation-online.co.uk.