Petition warns of lorry danger on approach to planned new railway station in Cambridge

Cambridge Cycling Campaign has joined other organisations in backing a petition to have lorries travelling to and from an industrial estate rerouted to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists once a new railway station is opened in the city.

The petition, launched by Cambridge Cycling Campaign member Klaas Brümann, also has the support of the Old Chesterton Residents’ Association, the Fen Estate and Nuffield Road Residents’ Association, and the Vie Residents’ Association, reports Cambridge News.

Some 3,000 passengers are expected to use the Cambridge Science Park station each day once it opens, possibly as early as winter 2015/16, and it will have 1,000 cycle parking spaces, with scope for more to be added if necessary in the future.

According to Mr Brümann, Nuffield Road will provide a main point of access to the station for those on foot or bike, but the journey will put them into the path of lorries turning onto the industrial estate.

The petition, which can be signed here, calls for motor vehicles to be banned from Nuffield Road north of the industrial estate, and access to the site to be provided instead by a link from Milton Road alongside a planned extension of the guided busway to the station.

Cambridge Cycling Campaign press officer Robin Heydon said: “The future mix of traffic on the narrow residential stretch of Nuffield Road will see a considerable number of primary school children, commuter cyclists on their way to the new station or the science park, patients driving to the GP surgery, people rushing to the trading estate as well as many light good vehicles and delivery lorries.

“The aim is to reduce the motor traffic, making the area more pleasant for walking and cycling and less intimidating for vulnerable road users.”

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire County Council, which has a webpage dedicated to the project, commented: “We welcome suggestions for the new Cambridge Science Park station.

“However, the proposals are currently going through the planning approval process and will be debated next month so it would be inappropriate to make comment on the suggestions.”

Cycling featured among questions raised at the consultation stage for the project in November 2012, including (with the council’s reply):

Will there be a cycle bridge over the River Cam to east Cambridge?

This is being brought forward as a separate project, which is currently at the feasibility stage. The aim is to have this ready for the station opening but it will depend on funding and planning.

Will there be a cycle lane along Cowley Road?

This is currently being discussed with the City Council who owns the land required for adding cycle lanes.