New consultation on vehicle restrictions on Mill Road bridge in Cambridge opens - find out how to respond

Consultation is now under way on a new Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) that would close Mill Road bridge in Cambridge to most private motor vehicles.

Cambridgeshire County Council launched the consultation today (Friday, August 9) and plans to run it until Friday, 13 September - a period the council said had been made longer than the usual 21 days to allow people to respond after the summer holidays.

If approved, the TRO would create a ‘bus gate’ that would close the bridge to all vehicles, except buses, bicycles, emergency services, taxis, and Blue Badge holders, who could apply to register up to two vehicles on a Permitted Vehicles List for the Mill Road bus gate.

The consultation follows the High Court’s quashing of the council’s previous TRO for a bus gate on Mill Road bridge, which was challenged by the campaign group Friends of Mill Road Bridge.

The group successfully argued that the council had contravened regulations by failing to “provide adequate reasons for making the order” when asked for them, sending only links to a council officers’ report and a summary of the decision in March 2023 to approve the bus gate by councillors.

The council said it accepted this argument to prevent further court costs. It meant the High Court quashed the order without other challenges made by the group needing to be determined.

The council was ordered to pay the group’s £26,799 court costs.

Launching the fresh consultation, the council said: “All feedback, including objections, is welcome.”

Feedback can be provided via the AppyWay consultation portal – through which you can view the statutory documents and comment directly. Or you can email comments to Policy.andRegulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

The TRO documents can be seen at https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/transport-projects/cycling-pedestrian-improvements/mill-road-bridge-tro, where the notice, order and statement of reasons are posted.

Or you can visit Central Library in Cambridge from Monday, 12 August to view the documents in person.

The council said that once the TRO notice period closes on 13 September, all responses will be collated and a report prepared to a special highways and transport committee in October, at which councillors will decide whether to approve the bridge closure restrictions or not.

Motorists contravening the notice would face a penalty charge notice - expected to be £70 - for driving through the gate, which would be monitored by automatic number plate recognition cameras.

In the statement of reasons, published with the order, the council says the order is proposed:

- for avoiding danger to persons or other traffic using the road or any road or for preventing the likelihood of any such danger arising;.
- for facilitating the passage on the road or other road for any class of traffic (including pedestrians); and
- for preserving or improving the amenities of the area through which the road runs.

And it notes: “Mill Road has a range of issues that impact on health and safety for the people who live and work in the area: these include pavements that the council considers are too narrow to accommodate the amount of footfall to shops, restaurants and businesses and a high volume of motor and cycle traffic sharing a carriageway of restricted width.

“Mill Road suffers from high levels of through traffic, which combined with local traffic and the high number of pedestrians and cyclists, causes significant congestion, particularly at peak times, and an unpleasant environment. Air pollution and a poor road safety record are directly related to these issues.”

The original decision to install the bus gate followed a council consultation that found a majority of respondents were in favour of the move to improve the environment for walking and cycling, but it has remained divisive.

Traders have voiced concern about the impact on their businesses and the need for lengthy diversions, and argued the closure will simply push traffic on to other roads in the area.

Pamela Wesson, chair of the Friends of Mill Road Bridge, argued: “Our position has always been that all people should be free to cross the bridge as they can currently, without detours and fines, and that the county council must follow the proper legal process in making decisions about closing public highways."

The group Mill Road 4 People (MR4P) was among those backing the modal filter.

Vice-chair Katie Hawks said: “The recent local election results showed that 85 per cent of residents voted for candidates who endorse the traffic restrictions, and that's on top of the 72 per cent of people in a large public consultation who wanted less motor traffic.”