Concern Greenways cycle routes will 'overcrowd' congested Cambridge streets

By Josh Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter

Published: 23:27, 15 August 2018

Cycling will be encouraged by the introduction of Greenways cycle routes radiating out of the city

Scheme will improve cycling network - but Newnham residents express concern about impact and safety

There are fears of overcrowding if new cycleways are brought through an “already congested” part of Cambridge at peak commuter times.

Newnham residents met on Monday (August 13) to discuss the Greenways project, which will see “high quality, off-road” links put in to encourage people to commute into the city on bikes, rather than in cars.

Although the scheme, which is being taken forward by the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP), has been widely publicised, many residents said the fliers distributed ahead of the meeting were the first they had heard about the project.

Newnham will see two of the potential greenways – one from Barton and one from Haslingfield – passing through the area.

Many aspects of the scheme were praised, with Newnham Croft Residents’ Association chairwoman Jean Glasberg saying the GCP’s “origins study”, looking at where commuters were coming from and which centres of employment they were heading to, was a good idea.

Newnham residents were, however, more concerned about how any potential greenway would join up with the city and where, if it came through Newnham Croft, the additional cycle traffic would go.

Mrs Glasberg said any route going through the fields along Grantchester Meadows would have an impact on the environment and wildlife in the area. She also said any route that went along Eltisley Avenue, Sheep’s Green, or Laundress Green would be bad.

One resident said: “The whole concept of having people speeding through Newnham is ridiculous. It is congested already.”

Another resident said sending cyclists down Eltisley Avenue would be the “worst possible thing”, and would funnel bike riders, some of whom she said could be commuting at speed, towards a sharp, narrow junction which could cause accidents.

Another resident said any route which went through Newnham Croft was a “complete no no”, saying it would not be appropriate on safety grounds. Many people supported the idea of a route heading north towards the north west campus rather than one heading straight into the city centre.

A Greater Cambridge Partnership spokesman said: “Cambridge is the UK’s leading cycling city with nearly half of all work journeys made by bicycle and a third of all residents choosing to cycle on a regular basis – and we want to build on this further as part of a solution to reduce traffic in and around the city.

“The Greater Cambridge Partnership plans to extend and enhance the cycling network further to encourage even more people to ditch the car and use sustainable modes of transport to help to reduce air pollution and congestion on our roads.

“The Greater Cambridge Greenways is a proposed network of 12 high-quality walking, cycling and equestrian routes linking surrounding villages to the city – part of a £50m investment in cycling in Greater Cambridge to 2021.

“We are currently seeking people’s views on two of those proposed Greenways for Barton and Haslingfield as part of an eight week public consultation that has been widely publicised.

“No decisions have been made on the final routes and we encourage people to complete a paper questionnaire or have their say via our new online engagement tool, Consult Cambs, by 20 August. The findings will be put before a future executive board meeting.”

Comment on the Barton or Haslingfield schemes before August 20 at greatercambridge.org.uk/transport/transport-projects/greenways.

Cambridge Cycling Josh Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter