SOME people miss the point of the Offords argument about lack of consultation on the A14. The original CHUMMS proposal provided a single indicative route, north of Offord Hill, which was reproduced in many local media sources of the time. The Offords and

SOME people miss the point of the Offords argument about lack of consultation on the A14.

The original CHUMMS proposal provided a single indicative route, north of Offord Hill, which was reproduced in many local media sources of the time. The Offords and other communities now affected by the Orange route were not consulted and were not informed of any likelihood of the single Orange route until the recent consultation of 2005. This is why the Highways Agency is considered to have a case to answer by some judges against even the agency's own rules.

Secondly, in all the statements against passing the new A14 route through the landfill site I have not seen any mention of the old, but existing, Huntingdon to Kettering trackbed. This bisects the old southern landfill site and its growing northern neighbour. The course of the trackbed appears sufficiently well aligned to be used as a route and, although some of the northern landfill would have to be excavated, it would be much less than passing through the middle of the new site. Furthermore, I understand this site is for household rubbish and not specifically classified as a hazardous waste site.

I concede this would require the A14 west of the A1 to come closer to the Brampton Wood, but it moves the A14 away from residents of Brampton and by routing between the landfill bunds reduces environmental disturbance to neighbouring settlements over the longer term. A smaller and lower flyover could cross the river plain and use the existing hillside to screen a separate bridge over the main East Coast railway. This could then pass through a cutting along the length of Offord Hill to minimise disturbance to Godmanchester and the Offords. It would be closer to Offord than the original CHUMMS proposal, but it appears a better overall environmental solution and fairer for all communities concerned.

VINCENT ANDERSON, Offord D'Arcy