The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) has recommended the release of more than £8m of funding to begin work on junction 15 of the A1260 Nene Parkway.

The junction sees an average of 46,000 vehicles per weekday pass through it, causing significant congestion problems at peak hours.

The plan will include the building of a third lane between Junction 33 and Junction 15 with a reduced speed limit of 60MPH, as well as creations of new footbridges and zebra crossing in the Bretton area.

Rowland Potter, head of CPCA's Transport and Infrastructure Committee said: “Junction 15 is a large grade separated junction serving two of Peterborough’s busiest strategic roads – the A47 Soke Parkway and the A1260 Nene Parkway.

“That junction is a direct access for major employment in the area at Thorpe Wood and therefore accommodates a large number of peak hour commuters both to and from the location.

“Congestion in the area has a knock-on effect on all roads leading in and out of that part of the city and so can have a traffic influence on large parts of the north of Cambridgeshire as a result.

“What we are proposing, and I hope that the committee will support, is a scheme that will align with the Local Transport Plan providing transport connectivity and economic growth while improving journey times and reliability in an area that needs it very much.

“We are asking for a draw-down from allocated funds of £8,013,642 to allow the construction phase of the proposed improvements to begin.

“If the committee agrees this proposal and the CPCA Board approves the funding, construction can begin as early as January 2022, with completion in January 2023.”

The plan also includes the planting of trees in order to compensate for the subsequent loss of trees during the construction of the footbridges.

Members of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee voted unanimously to approve the draw-down of £8.014m.

The matter will now go before the CPCA board for ratification at their next meeting at the end of the month.

Further detailed information about each scheme is available here.