Have your say: cycle improvements in Cambridge

Cambridge residents are being asked for their views on a major upgrade to cycling facilities new Cherry Hinton road.

A £3m spend is planned to improve Cherry Hinton Road – between Hills Road and Mowbray Road – and Queen Edith's Way, as well as the Robin Hood junction, which is being consulted on separately.

Cllr Amanda Taylor, a Lib Dem county councillor for Queen Edith's, told Cambridge News: "The aim is to address safety concerns over the shared use pavements, whereby cyclists may legally ride on the pavement. Many do so to keep out of the way of heavy – and sometimes fast – motor traffic.

"This is entirely understandable – but ironically, in avoiding cars and vans, cyclists themselves pose a hazard to an even more vulnerable class of traveller – the pedestrians who use the pavements.

"It is a particular problem for people with disabilities, especially the visually impaired, who cannot see bikes coming or report incidents easily."

Cllr Taylor added: "Cambridgeshire County Council conducted a trial of the shared use arrangement in the late 90s and despite strong local opposition, made the 'trial' permanent.

"It still doesn't work terribly well: in Queen Edith's Way, the combination of schoolchildren at one end of the road and a high proportion of older people in nearby Wulfstan Way frequently leads to conflict, with cyclists sometimes failing to slow down or stop when they encounter pedestrians.

"Many cycling campaigners would agree that shared use is a cheap compromise that satisfies no-one, and that demarcated space is to be preferred."

All feedback will be used to shape the proposal. These plans would then go to a full public consultation before being implemented. Improvements in the questionnaire include segregated cycleways, floating bus stops and the possible loss of on-road parking bays.

Your feedback will be used to draw up possible plans for improvements. These plans would then go to a full public consultation before being implemented.

The survey closes on June 29. For more details visit click here.

As far back as 2010 we reported how council chiefs had approved plans to carry out improvements to cycle routes in Cambridge.

Cambridgeshire County Council's Cabinet gave the go ahead for cycle route improvements including the provision of new off-road cycle lanes, widening and resurfacing existing lanes in the city.

After listening to representations from cyclists and concerns from residents, Cabinet are looking into further options for a cycle safety scheme on Gilbert Road.

The routes were part of Cambridgeshire County Council's jointly-funded £7.2 million Cycle Cambridge initiative, in partnership with Cycling England to improve cycling routes, facilities and training in and around Cambridge.

Following consultation with local residents and stakeholders, the Cycle Cambridge team presented four cycle route improvements to the Cabinet; Cherry Hinton Road, Madingley Road, the Tins path and Gilbert Road.

Cherry Hinton Road was to have a new on-road cycle lane to the roundabout at Perne Road, with improvements to the existing shared use path including priority crossing at some side roads.

The Tins path, a well used route located at the bottom of Mill Road, off Brooke's Road, was to be widened and resurfaced.

Cabinet heard views of support from cyclists as well as concerns from residents on the proposal to improve the cycle lanes on Gilbert Road. This scheme would include introducing traffic calming measures. The £400,000 scheme in Gilbert Road involves stopping cars from parking in the cycle lane, along with a peak time loading ban to ensure the lane remains unobstructed, as well as resurfacing to ensure a smoother ride for cyclists.

Cyclists had to move out into the road to avoid parked cars, which the Cambridge Cycling Campaign argues is dangerous for all road users.