Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Planned in 2028, Fenland District Council could be absorbed into a new unitary authority.
Some 3 different proposals have been put forward (FDC has made no decisions as yet).

Below is the document I have received (I can send a word version should anyone require one)

Police appeal after serious collision between car and paramedic vehicle in Whittlesey.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a serious collision between a car and a paramedic vehicle on an emergency callout.

The collision happened in Eastrea Road, near the junction of Victory Avenue, in Whittlesey, at about 11.10am today.

The vehicles involved – a black Peugeot and the rapid response ambulance – were both heading towards Peterborough.

The driver of the Peugeot suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries, while the driver of the response vehicle suffered minor injuries.

Sgt Claire Marland, from the road policing unit, said: “We are keen to hear from anyone who was in the area around the time of the collision.

“If you believe you may have dashcam footage of either vehicle in the lead up to the collision, please do get in touch with us as this may help us paint a better picture of what happened.”
Anyone with information is asked to report online at www.cambs.police.uk or call 101 and quote reference CC-06082025-0161.

Anyone without internet access should call 101.

You told us that illegal parking is something you would like us to focus on, so we have been back on patrols across the sector to address the issue.

This time, we focused on…

➡️ Church Street and London Street in Whittlesey

➡️ High Street in Chatteris

➡️ Elwyn Road in March

Six tickets were issued on this occasion to cars parked on double yellow lines and in disabled bays without a blue badge.

We will carry out these patrols when we can, we can’t be everywhere, but we could be anywhere.

Anti-social behaviour in March, Chatteris, and Whittlesey town centres – which includes parking along with drug dealing, street drinking and e-scooter use – is a current priority for the team.

You can find out more about their current priorities, as well as read about the work they have been doing, on our website.

The Ramsey Road Layby which StreetPride ‘adopted’ some 12 years ago, and continues to maintain. I was chairman when we installed the 1st Picknick Bench, Cyclerack and Bin, all
sponsored by the Glassmoor Wind Turbine Fund.

(02nd August 2014 – The Ramsey Road Project – RG)

Ramsey Road Gateway used as a rest halt for big ride to Edinburgh 3rdAugust 2025
London Edinburgh London is a 1530 kilometres (950 miles) self-supported cycle ride across the United Kingdom.
The route takes you between the iconic capital cities of England and Scotland.

London Edinburgh London is a 1530 kilometres (950 miles) self-supported cycle ride across the United Kingdom. The route takes you between the iconic capital cities of England and Scotland.

London Edinburgh London is not a race, but you have a maximum of around 128 hours to cycle along the route up to Edinburgh and then back to London.
There are 21 control points (at 14 different venues) along the route.

At these controls, we provide:
Ramsey Road layby – used as a halt break by the cyclists.

(Thanks to PD @ SP)

Whilst some on Social Media told me off, for saying we should be active byestanders when witnessing anti-social behaviour or vandalism – I have no issue in confronting anyone carrying out this type of ‘illegal’ activity, I appreciate some would have concerns.
Cllr (Dr) Haq Nawas ran a social media campaign to save the recreation ground from being sold for development and all kudos to him, however many of us working in the background establishing the facts, that the land had been ‘gifted’ by ex Brickwork owner Mr Bundy, and could not ‘easiler’ be sold off – It is now off the radar to be sold-off.

John Elworthy has just published an article on the CambsNews   Click Here…… website.

©CambsNews/JE

Station Road recreation ground, Whittlesey, was said by the leader of Fenland District Council to be the most vandalised park across the whole of Fenland.

Cllr Chris Boden said that although vandalism hasn’t been restricted to Station Road rec “we see vandalism all over the place” this area stands out for all the wrong reasons.

A decision notice published by Fenland Council said the play equipment at Station Road has been out of use for 18 months due to ongoing vandalism.

“The decision is to remove the equipment and remediate the area back to grass at a cost of approximately £15,000,” the council reported.

“This action is prompted by consistent vandalism and high maintenance costs.”

Reason for Decision:

• The play area has been repeatedly vandalized since its opening, leading to expensive repairs and closures.
• With a larger play area nearby at Manor Field, the removal will not affect community access to recreational spaces.
• The closure reduces wasteful spending on an area that is unlikely to improve due to repeated vandalism.

Alternative Options Considered:

1. Fix the current play surface: Estimated cost of £25,000 – £30,000.
2. Install CCTV: Estimated cost of £20,000, considering the power requirements.

The council statement added: “Initial negative reactions may occur, but there have been no complaints in 2025, and the Manor Field play area remains accessible.”

(Dr Haq wants to work with the Neighbourhood Police and Local Residents – This failed last time, and even our local NHW Co-ordinator couldn’t establish a dialogue with rersidents to any extent).

(The last time the surface was repaired – youths were witnessed ‘digging up’ the new surface within days of it being repaired……)
(Your call Dr Haq).

After campaigning for some considerable time – myself and other Councillors have been lobbying for the Market Place/Buttercross to be cleaned up.
Costing I would imagine some several £Thousand – last week.

Sunday sometime someone has managed to spill what appears to be ‘cooking oil’ on the newly cleaned up Market Place.

We have asked CCTV to investigate.

(click on picture to enlarge)

£220,000 funding shortfall stalls progress on Whittlesey Relief Road.

Whittlesey relief road faces uncertain future without new funding.

Work on a proposed relief road for Whittlesey has stalled as Fenland District Council tries to find ways to secure a further £220,000 on top of £277,000 spent already on development work.

“The additional development work will cost £220,000, which is unfunded,” Cabinet was told. “Fenland District Council cannot fund it due to budget constraints and projected deficits.”

Funding options include seeking Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority support or third-party contributions.
Cabinet recommendations included instructing officers to explore funding options for the £220,000.

The project previously received £277,783 from the Market Towns Fund to develop the outline case and it is overseen by a member-led project board and delivered by consultants Mott MacDonald.

Cabinet was told early assessments show a strong case for a Whittlesey Relief Road to manage traffic and support sustainable growth. However, more detailed technical work is needed to enhance the value-for-money case and secure further government funding.

And immediate action is required to secure £220,000 for this next phase

The campaign for a Whittlesey relief road aims to address chronic traffic congestion, particularly from heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). The initiative seeks to improve journey reliability, reduce travel times, enhance air quality, and support economic and housing growth by diverting traffic, especially HGVs, away from the town centre along the A605.

Key Points of the Campaign:

• Origins and Need: The campaign stems from long-standing traffic issues, with residents reporting journeys that should take 15 minutes extending to 45 minutes due to congestion. The Fenland Local Plan, which proposed 11,000 new homes by 2031, underscored the need for infrastructure to support growth. Whittlesey is the only Fenland market town without a bypass, exacerbating issues with HGVs on residential routes like Inhams Road and Station Road.
• Initial Steps: In 2020, Whittlesey Town Council commissioned an inception study that found a “sound strategic case” for a relief road, citing benefits like reduced congestion, improved air quality, and economic growth. The study justified proceeding to a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC).
• Project Development: In 2023, Fenland District Council appointed Mott MacDonald to develop the SOBC, funded with £260,000 from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) through its Market Towns Programme. The SOBC, completed in 2025, recommended a southern relief road (Option 3) to reroute HGVs and include active travel improvements for walking and cycling. 

  Public Consultation: A consultation ran from October 23 to November 22, 2024, inviting residents, businesses, and stakeholders to review four proposed routes. Events were held at Whittlesey Town Council offices (October 25), Aldi in Eastrea (November 9), and online via Microsoft Teams (November 12). Feedback shaped the final design for the SOBC with 310 responses received. 72% of respondents supported the scheme objectives. Most support was for Option 3: relief road + HGV rerouting + active travel.Current Status: In May 2025, Fenland District Council approved the next phase, requiring £220,000 to refine the SOBC, improve the benefit-cost ratio, and explore cost reductions.The project currently shows poor value for money due to high costs, prompting efforts to secure additional funding from sources like the CPCA or the new Mayor, Paul Bristow.

  • Challenges: The project faces hurdles like high costs, flood risks, and railway crossings. Traffic growth projections suggest severe congestion by the decade’s end, with roundabouts in Whittlesey adding 6.5 minutes to journeys.
  • Community and council support: Local councillors, including Chris Boden and Dee Laws, emphasize the road’s necessity for economic growth and resident quality of life.

  Critical Perspective:

  While the campaign has strong local support, the high cost and “poor value for money” raise questions about feasibility without significant government funding. The focus on a southern ro©ute and HGV rerouting may not fully address all traffic issues, as a relief road differs from a bypass, potentially still allowing some traffic through the town. Additionally, environmental concerns like flood risks and the impact of new infrastructure on the Fens’ landscape warrant scrutiny.

  ©CambsTimes 250804

Again thank you to all who have sent their best wishes for my recovery.

I’ll not go into detail, other than I was admitted into hospital for 8 days and came out last week for further (many more) tests.

It has been a very challenging time and I am ‘lucky’ to be back, although it will take some time.

My Council and Community work are on hold at present until I’m feeling much better and again my thanks to all the other Councillors who have taken on my workload.

Timmy The Tortoise 70+ years young.