Villagers are warned they could face up to 1,000 lorries a day going past their homes if plans to extract 1.4 million tons of sand and gravel from nearby pits is given the go-ahead.  Liberal Democrats fear the villages could become main routes for heavy lorries travelling from the pits in Mepal, Block Fen and Needingworth onto the A14 and A10.  The materials excavated would be used to supply major building projects around Cambridge such as Northstowe and the Addenbrooke’s Hospital extension.

 Lib Dem Transport Spokesman, Ian Allen, who represents Haddenham, said: “This cannot be allowed to happen. Our villages already suffer from heavy lorries rat running to the major roads; this plan will make the problem far worse. “This is an ill-thought out project. The impact on the residents of Haddenham, Wilburton, Stretham and Earith has not been taken into account. I would urge everyone to object to these proposals.” 

The plans, being discussed by Cambridgeshire County Council, would mean lorries collecting gravel and sand from the pits until 2026 and bringing over 700,000 tons of waste each year back to the pits. Jonathan Chatfield, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for South East Cambridgeshire said: “Heavy lorries are already taking short cuts through our villages putting our children’s lives at risk and shaking our homes. Our villages were never intended to be extensions of the A10 and A14. 

“Recently, we fought and won the right to keep our village roads from being designated as strategic freight routes on the county freight map. If this plan goes ahead it will mean that fight was for nothing.     “The county council must be made to see sense over this issue. It cannot sanction this level of heavy traffic through village communities where there are narrow pavements used by children going to school.” The county council’s public consultation on the plans will take place at the Over Community Centre on March 2, Arkenstall Centre, Haddenham on March 4 and Cottenham Primary School on March 10. All events will be held between 4pm and 8pm.

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