THE tragic and unnecessary death on the A1 of a competitor in a cycle time trial raises issues beyond the wisdom of promoting such an event on a major dual carriageway on the Sunday of a Bank Holiday weekend when high volumes of traffic might reasonably b

THE tragic and unnecessary death on the A1 of a competitor in a cycle time trial raises issues beyond the wisdom of promoting such an event on a major dual carriageway on the Sunday of a Bank Holiday weekend when high volumes of traffic might reasonably be expected.

The resultant closure of the A1 southbound carriageway at Buckden roundabout from before 9am until after 2pm necessitated a southbound diversion of traffic via the B661 Perry Road, which in turn slowed northbound traffic approaching the roundabout, producing average speeds northbound of about 10mph and tailbacks to the A428 [as shown by the Highways Agency website www.trafficengland.com] over the five-hour period.

Cambridgeshire's major road network is poorly served by "alternative" routes that can utilised in the event of emergency road closures, and perhaps those who pressed for the removal of the A14 Huntingdon station overbridge and abandonment of the A14 Fenstanton-Alconbury spur might consider the implications of the folly of such closure.

The cost of retaining the existing A14 spur by replacing the overbridge could well be met from the savings inherent in then not having to upgrade the A1 from Alconbury to the interchange with the new three-lane A14 carriageways.

JOHN MOORE

Great North Road

Buckden