Mayor pledges to find cash for road to university

A leading politician will explore ways of funding a new slip road off a busy dual-carriageway in Peterborough, following a setback from government.

Ministers have revealed they will not help pay for the road off the A1139 Frank Perkins Parkway, which would serve as a more direct route to Anglia Ruskin University's campus in the city.

The Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow, said the need for the road was "clear".

The Department for Transport (DfT) said the government "had to make difficult decisions on a number of road projects".

Bristow, a Conservative, said Peterborough "needs transport capacity to grow".

He said the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority's Local Growth Plan - setting out the future of the region's economy - relied on infrastructure like this.

"This is a region already generating high-value jobs, investment and innovation, with major growth coming," he said.

The A1139 was identified as having "congestion and delay during peak hours" by the combined authority in a report in 2021.

A northbound off-slip linking the A1139 with Bishop's Road was proposed, to avoid drivers backing up towards the Embankment.

Bristow said he would "look for alternative revenue sources" for both the A1139 and the dualling of the A10 between Cambridge and Ely - which is another scheme the government says it cannot fund.

The DfT pointed out that the previous Conservative government had not set aside money for these projects.

But a spokesperson said: "We're backing drivers with over £1bn for 16 major road schemes that will deliver the most benefits to local people, on top of a record £7.3bn to repair local roads and fix potholes."

Do you have a story suggestion for Peterborough? Contact us below.

Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.