logo
The legacy of a £1.5bn A-road upgrade

The legacy of a £1.5bn A-road upgrade

Yahoo3 hours ago

For decades, a dual carriageway in Cambridgeshire was synonymous with slow-moving traffic, jack-knifed lorries and long, long delays.
That changed in May 2020, when the new A14 opened ahead of schedule, a12-mile (19km) Cambridge to Huntingdon three-lane carriageway.
More than five years after the £1.5bn road improvement scheme was completed, what do locals think - and what is its legacy?
The BBC has been finding out.
"Driving to Stansted Airport could potentially be a two-hour trip, just to get there for a pick-up or drop off - now it's a 45-minute journey," said Stuart Gibbons.
The co-founder of Le Mark, a Huntingdon-based company, is a huge fan of the improvements.
"We are a business that is rural, we're in a nice part of the county, but we need to get up and down the motorways when we need to," he said.
The company produces tapes, custom-printed labels, professional dance floors and crew-wear for the entertainment industry, including TV, touring bans, theatre, stage and performance.
It buys and sells internationally, which is why getting to Stansted Airport is so important.
But Mr Gibbons can also confidently tell customers in north London that Le Mark can drop off items within an hour and a half.
"The difference is we can make an appointment we are fairly certain we can meet," he said.
Heidi Brown has been working for Le Mark for three years - and commuting along the A14 for much longer than that.
The upgraded road has transformed her journey to work.
"Historically, it was quite a lot of congestion, it wasn't the easiest of journeys - I'd often have to find alternative routes to work," the purchasing assistant said.
"Now I can confidently leave knowing I can get to work and I don't have to allow more time in advance."
Her colleague, social media content creator Charlotte Brooks, agreed, adding: "I'd hear [the old A14} a lot near our house, but it's a lot better now, much more quiet."
"It's a hugely important bridge, the level of vehicles using this bridge is massive - from villages like Oakington, Cottenham, Longstanton and Willingham," said Luis Navarro.
The newly elected Liberal Democrat county councillor has found himself negotiating with National Highways over settling embankments on land around the Bar Hill bridge at junction 25.
The new layout there was part of the A14 project, but now locals are saying they feel a bump when they drive over it and Mr Navarro is "concerned it could become a hazard".
"The technical term is the bridge is 'settling' and National Highways have now attached monitoring devices to it, to provide data on how fast or if the bridge is still settling," he said.
"It's important we are on top of this issue... it's a major artery and the idea is we try to get a permanent solution to reassure drivers that it's safe."
A National Highways spokesperson said it had been monitoring the bridge for more than a year, initially with inspections by engineers.
"This has now been enhanced to include digital monitoring," they said.
"This is part of a phased assessment process as we continue our work with Cambridgeshire County Council to determine the root cause and put an appropriate solution in place."
About 270 hectares (670 acres) of habitat, including 40 native tree and shrub species, was created for wildlife along the new section of the A14, which realigned the dual carriageway south of Huntingdon.
Locals say the tree screen will be vital to mitigate against noise from the road.
However, National Highways said in 2022 about 20 to 30% of the trees had died, although all have been replanted.
It has since planted another 165,000 trees and shrubs, 90% of which have survived.
Vhari Russell, who founded the rewilding group Creating Nature's Corridors and with her family, lives close to the A14 in Brampton.
They took matters into their own hands by planting their own trees.
"What we're really lacking is the mulching and the watering and the nurturing and that wasn't done by National Highways," she said.
Paul Salmon has been working on the latest National Highways infrastructure project in Cambridgeshire, from Caxton Gibbet to the Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire, for more than three years.
The £1bn A428 project includes a new 10-mile (16km) dual carriageway, as well as bridges and junctions connecting to the existing road.
"Everyone locally knows about the Black Cat junction, it's infamous for multiple reasons and has been a pinch point - including the last single carriageway on this east-west corridor between Milton Keynes and Felixstowe," he said.
"And we will move that traffic off the local road.
"Currently it's about 35,000 vehicles on the A428 a day, and by the time the new road opens, it'll be down to about 3,000 a day."
The agency and its partner Skanska have spent time working out "the good, the bad and the indifferent" of the A14 project, the senior project manager added.
"For this project, we're top-soiling early, so it'll be green by the time the scheme opens," he said.
Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
'Parts of A14 still like a desert after trees die'
Residents plant own trees to replace dead A14 ones
The multibillion-pound infrastructure set for the East of England
National Highways

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Facilities by ADF Full Year 2024 Earnings: EPS Misses Expectations
Facilities by ADF Full Year 2024 Earnings: EPS Misses Expectations

Yahoo

time33 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Facilities by ADF Full Year 2024 Earnings: EPS Misses Expectations

Revenue: UK£35.2m (up 1.2% from FY 2023). Net loss: UK£3.05m (down by 485% from UK£794.0k profit in FY 2023). UK£0.034 loss per share (down from UK£0.01 profit in FY 2023). Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period The primary driver behind last 12 months revenue was the Hire of Facilities (excluding Location One) segment contributing a total revenue of UK£24.9m (71% of total revenue). Notably, cost of sales worth UK£22.3m amounted to 63% of total revenue thereby underscoring the impact on earnings. The largest operating expense was General & Administrative costs, amounting to UK£11.3m (71% of total expenses). Explore how ADF's revenue and expenses shape its earnings. Facilities by ADF's share price is broadly unchanged from a week ago. It's necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with Facilities by ADF (at least 2 which don't sit too well with us), and understanding them should be part of your investment process. — Investing narratives with Fair Values Vita Life Sciences Set for a 12.72% Revenue Growth While Tackling Operational Challenges By Robbo – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: A$2.42 · 0.1% Overvalued Vossloh rides a €500 billion wave to boost growth and earnings in the next decade By Chris1 – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: €78.41 · 0.1% Overvalued Intuitive Surgical Will Transform Healthcare with 12% Revenue Growth By Unike – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: $325.55 · 0.6% Undervalued View more featured narratives — Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

This dividend stock's yielding 5.5% but its directors have sold nearly 15m shares this month!
This dividend stock's yielding 5.5% but its directors have sold nearly 15m shares this month!

Yahoo

time38 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

This dividend stock's yielding 5.5% but its directors have sold nearly 15m shares this month!

Brickability Group's (LSE:BRCK) a distributor of construction materials (not just bricks) and has built (excuse the pun) a reputation as a dividend stock. And with earnings growing strongly I'm sure shareholders will be hopeful that its payout will continue to rise. On 24 April, the group released a pre-close trading update stating that revenue for the year ended 31 March (FY25) is expected to be 7% higher than in FY24. Also, adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) is forecast to be 11% better. Some of the improvement is due to its specialist cladding and fire remediation division delivering projects ahead of schedule. This is a shift of turnover between accounting periods rather than new business. But the group said there was 'good momentum in trading' more generally. Within a week of this announcement, the group's share price had risen 15.5%. But its shares are now changing hands for only fractionally more than before the news was released. It means nearly all of the benefit to shareholders from its FY25 results being ahead of expectations has been lost. So what's going on? A quick look at the company's other stock exchange announcements is revealing. On 13 June, Alan Simpson, a non-executive director (NED), and Sarah Simpson, a close associate, reduced their combined stake from 11% to 7.23%. The shares fell nearly 6% when this news was announced. The amount received hasn't yet been disclosed but it's likely to be around the £7m mark. And two days earlier, the managing director of Brickability's Distribution division sold 3m shares and another NED offloaded 1m. These sales realised proceeds of £2.07m and £690,000 respectively. Of course, I've no idea why these individuals have decided to reduce their stakes in the company. Everyone has different financial circumstances and I don't think it's unreasonable to 'cash out' at some stage. After all, you can't spend shares. But whatever the reasons, these sales aren't a good look. These senior managers are going to miss out on generous levels of passive income. Based on amounts paid over the past 12 months, the stock's currently (20 June) yielding 5.5%. The FTSE AIM All-Share index is offering 2.27%. We don't yet know what the final dividend for FY25 will be but it looks as though it's likely to be higher than it was in FY24. If so, it means the group will have increased its annual payout for four consecutive years. But the group's relatively small. As its listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) with a market-cap of just under £200m, it doesn't have the financial firepower to cope with a sustained downturn in the UK construction industry. And even though I'm sure there are perfectly valid reasons for the directors' share sales, they're likely to dent investor confidence. But the group has lots going for it. Revenue and earnings are heading in the right direction and the green shoots of a recovery are starting to show in the housebuilding sector. Also, the UK cladding 'scandal' is providing plenty of opportunities for further work. For these reasons, when combined with a healthy 5%+ yield, investors could consider adding the stock to their portfolios. The post This dividend stock's yielding 5.5% but its directors have sold nearly 15m shares this month! appeared first on The Motley Fool UK. More reading 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 One Top Growth Stock from the Motley Fool James Beard has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Motley Fool UK 2025

Ninety One Group's (LON:N91) Shareholders Will Receive A Bigger Dividend Than Last Year
Ninety One Group's (LON:N91) Shareholders Will Receive A Bigger Dividend Than Last Year

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Ninety One Group's (LON:N91) Shareholders Will Receive A Bigger Dividend Than Last Year

Ninety One Group (LON:N91) has announced that it will be increasing its periodic dividend on the 7th of August to £0.068, which will be 6.3% higher than last year's comparable payment amount of £0.064. This will take the annual payment to 6.8% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay. We've found 21 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free. While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. The last payment made up 71% of earnings, but cash flows were much higher. In general, cash flows are more important than earnings, so we are comfortable that the dividend will be sustainable going forward, especially with so much cash left over for reinvestment. EPS is set to grow by 2.7% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, our estimates say the payout ratio could reach 76% - on the higher side, but we wouldn't necessarily say this is unsustainable. Check out our latest analysis for Ninety One Group The dividend's track record has been pretty solid, but with only 5 years of history we want to see a few more years of history before making any solid conclusions. Since 2020, the dividend has gone from £0.118 total annually to £0.122. Dividend payments have been growing, but very slowly over the period. Ninety One Group hasn't been paying a dividend for very long, so we wouldn't get to excited about its record of growth just yet. Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. However, things aren't all that rosy. Although it's important to note that Ninety One Group's earnings per share has basically not grown from where it was five years ago, which could erode the purchasing power of the dividend over time. In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Ninety One Group's payments are rock solid. The company is generating plenty of cash, which could maintain the dividend for a while, but the track record hasn't been great. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock. Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Without at least some growth in earnings per share over time, the dividend will eventually come under pressure either from competition or inflation. See if the 5 analysts are forecasting a turnaround in our free collection of analyst estimates here. Is Ninety One Group not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks. — Investing narratives with Fair Values Vita Life Sciences Set for a 12.72% Revenue Growth While Tackling Operational Challenges By Robbo – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: A$2.42 · 0.1% Overvalued Vossloh rides a €500 billion wave to boost growth and earnings in the next decade By Chris1 – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: €78.41 · 0.1% Overvalued Intuitive Surgical Will Transform Healthcare with 12% Revenue Growth By Unike – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: $325.55 · 0.6% Undervalued View more featured narratives — Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store