Meldreth Matters, November 2023

District and County Councillors’ Report Lots of Highways issues here, not just getting roads fixed but important safety concerns of those who depend on pavements to get around.

Thank You Mr Reader We are very grateful to James Reader, who with his wife visits Meldreth twice every week to see his daughter at Orchard Manor, and who took the trouble to ask a formal question at the October County Council meeting about the state of Meldreth High Street’s pavements for all wheelchair users, both the camber that forces wheelchairs toward the road, and in many places, the badly uneven surface.

As Meldreth residents will know all too well, only piecemeal pavement repairs have taken place over the years.

Mr Reader also mentioned the problem of cars parked on pavements and the serious obstruction this causes for those in wheelchairs, mobility scooters, buggies etc. Please, could drivers avoid parking on pavements?

He also asked whether a 20mph speed limit might be possible for Meldreth, as fast passing traffic is very worrying for vulnerable wheelchair users. As it happened, Meldreth Parish Council’s application had just been approved.

Meldreth High Street Repair We hardly dare mention it lest something unforeseen should happen, but funding has been approved for a proper repair to Meldreth High Street. As you know the surface of the road is too high for adding another layer and allowing it to become flush with pavements. A ‘thermal repair’ method, designed for repairing outward from the seams of the trench that runs all the way along the High Street is to be used.

20 mph Schemes The County Council is looking to augment its funding pot for 20mph schemes, in which there is a huge interest. There were 88 applications this year; Meldreth scored 5th overall. The funding pot stretches to the top 20 schemes. [See page 39.]

Road Markings The junctions at Whitecroft Road/Station Road and Fenny Lane/Kneesworth Road are still in the queue at the time of writing. Chasing!

Meldreth Station From GTR: ‘We now have three staff members in our mobile assistance team, providing a full range of assistance (including ramp deployment) to the three village stations [Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton], from first to last train. Recruitment is ongoing to provide four permanently rostered staff members.’

Please keep an eye out next time you use the train and let us know your impressions.

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