As a Seven Mills resident, I object to Amendment No.3 as currently proposed, which would replace a planned vehicular bridge with a pedestrian and cycle bridge and reclassify the connecting Link Streets as Local Streets.

My principal concern is the loss of a planned vehicle connection and the resulting concentration of traffic onto the remaining routes, particularly the Fonthill Road junction serving Seven Mills. The assessment should demonstrate whether these routes can accommodate the completed development, including peak-hour commuting and school traffic, without unacceptable congestion or delays.

Before this amendment is approved, I request clear evidence addressing the following:

1. Traffic displacement and junction capacity: A comparison of the original and proposed layouts, showing changes in traffic volumes, peak-hour queues, journey times and junction capacity, particularly at the Seven Mills access onto Fonthill Road.
2. The combined impact of the amendments: Confirmation that the assessment accounts for the proposed redistribution of housing under Amendment No.18, alongside the revised road network and all planned development. If it does not, an updated assessment should be provided.
3. Alternative access and resilience: An explanation of how residents, emergency services and other essential vehicles would access the area during an accident, road closure or significant disruption on the remaining routes.
4. Realistic public transport assumptions: Identification of the bus and rail services, frequencies and capacity assumed in the modelling, distinguishing services already available from future improvements. The assessment should also test what happens if those improvements are delayed.
5. Street reclassification: An explanation of how changing the connecting Link Streets to Local Streets affects their design, capacity, access arrangements and ability to accommodate displaced traffic.

I support improved walking and cycling connections. However, removing a planned vehicle connection requires a clear justification and evidence that the revised network will serve both existing and future residents adequately.

I request that the planned vehicular connection be retained unless a robust, publicly accessible assessment demonstrates that the alternative arrangements are sufficient. Any necessary mitigation should have identified funding, responsibility and delivery triggers linked to occupation of the development.