08/04/2014 Look East - West

League final. That's all from us. A first look at

Good evening. First tonight, the papers on the BBC

Good evening. First tonight, preparations in Cambridge are

underway for the Tour de Fr`nce Today the head of the world's

biggest cycle race, Christi`n Prudhomme visited the city. It's the

third stage of the race starting on the seventh July and is thotght to

bring tens of millions of pounds to the local economy. 200 of the

world's top cyclists will travel from Cambridgeshire into Essex and

then onto London. Mike Cartwright reports.

Like its starting line, the race will be burned into the memory of

this region. The eyes of thd world watching our part of the world,

chosen by him, Christian Prtdhomme hosting a sporting spectacld. . It

is important to have Cambridge as a city of cycling. It seems a long

time ago that we were able to announce that the tour was coming

here. From October last year, we discovered the route it was going to

take. We have a mark on the spot where it will start. This is the

last of three stages. 100 mhles and around three hours racing and

winding its way through Essdx, into Chelmsford, past Harlow and

finishing in London. Cycling superstars flying through this

village. They have noticed before the tour arrives, something else has

gone. There has been the talk of potholes in this race but they have

closed the village and they have resurfaced the road. Up the hill

here, there are a few more holes that need filling. The roads are

looking absolutely beautiful and it really is going to be a showpiece

for the country. We are verx proud. This is known as the prettidst

village in the whole of Essdx. It is right that it should come through

it. It is right that it shotld come through. Fireworks celebratdd the

Tour de France's coming. He`vily promoted up north and some `re

asking why the same has not been done down south. We will sed

coverage on the route but also areas not on the key route which will be

frequented by visitors to the city. It is as much about telling people

it is coming as well as celdbrating and welcoming it.In July, they will

line up. The biggest bike r`ce on the planet right here in our region.

Next ` investment in our ro`ds and railways. First ` a new report on

plans to re`open the eight lile stretch of railway to passengers in

Wisbech. Tonight the Ministdr of State, Greg Clarke, describdd the

line as an attractive proposal and agreed to discuss financing a

further detailed study with the Government. The line would link

Wisbech and March through to Ely and onto Cambridge to boost economic

growth. Waseem Mirza has bedn looking at the report.

Katherine, the report was commissioned by both Cambridgeshire

County Council and Fenland District Council. It looks at the financial

viability of re`opening the disused line at Wisbech and the bendfits of

opening a new station there. It s been closed to passengers for the

last 30 years but the track still exists. The idea, investment in

rail, to help unlock economhc growth. The report suggests that

re`opening the line would cost between ?50 and ?75 million. But

according to the councils that investment would generate a three

fold return of up to ?81 million, benefiting the whole of the Fenland

area. Now ` with better transport links comes easier access to the

city and the jobs it generates. If the line was reconnected to the Ely

Peterborough track, Cambridge could be reached in just 40 minutds. And

with a faster commute from Wisbech, the Fenland areas could become an

attractive place to live. In Cambridge, the average housd price

is almost ?360,000. Compare that to the area around Wisbech just under

?140,000. This independent report is just the beginning of the journey to

get this disused line up and running again. But according to the local

MP, the campaign is gathering pace. The key is keeping the momentum and

getting an Rail study. We h`ve to look at the number of level

crossings that we need. `` Network Rail started. We have to look at

engineering work in the fans. We have to look at that in det`il.

Campaigners for the line ard now looking to the Government for help.

They want ?250,000 to carry out a further study looking at kex options

for the development ` which local councils say is vital for the

economic growth of not only Wisbech but Fenland too.

More now on a new ?10 million link road which opened today in

Huntingdon. The route is only half a kilometre long but it bypasses the

town's ring road linking thd north of Huntingdon directly with

Hinchingbrooke hospital and the railway station. It is a tiny

stretch of road but it will have a huge impact. Motorists wanthng to

cross the town no longer have to drive all around the ring road. It

is a good short cut. There hs a lot of queues at the moment. Dignitaries

gathered to open the road and within minutes, the fences were reloved and

the first traffic was allowdd through. There are plans for new

houses, business facilities and shops and it is hoped Huntington can

tempt people away from Peterborough and Cambridge. We have largd areas

to the north and south of us and this creates jobs and prospdrity and

it has to be good for the local populace. Work will start l`ter this

year. In Football and an important result

for Peterborough in League one. They beat Gillingham by two ` zero. The

result keeps Posh in sixth place in the table but extends their

advantage over seventh placd MK Dons to six points with just fivd games

remaining. That's all from the late team. Time to get the weathdr now

with Alex Dolan. We have clear sky out there and

light winds. Temperatures m`y get down to four Celsius in the

countryside. We start tomorrow quite chilly. The centre and could turn

hazy at times but it is gendrally a milder air mass. There will be

lighter winds and temperatures may get above 14 Celsius. It dods look

dry but rather cloudy for the afternoon. Here is the outlook.

dry. Maybe a bit of light rain on Friday. A quiet spell for us. Not so

on the other side of the world. As you have been hearing, there is not

a great deal happening in the weather over the UK over the next

couple of days. Meanwhile, we have been attacked

thing -- tracking an active spring storm in the US. There have been

reports of flash flooding and tornadoes. You can see a narrowband

which is weakening and heading out to the Atlantic. It is the Atlantic

tonight that will pick up whether funds to the north of the UK,

bringing with them or cloud and outbreaks of rain. Meanwhile,

pressure remains relatively high to the south. There is a small chance

of patchy mist and fog and low cloud by the end of the night. But

temperatures will fall away again. A chilly start to Wednesday morning.

There will be a bit of a