As part of the work GCP is undertaking on City Access, a series of plans have been developed which will support efforts for people to cycle and walk around Greater Cambridge during the Covid-19 pandemic.
These proposals have been worked up with input from GCP, other local authorities and stakeholder groups and the County Council, as the Highway Authority. We are working to identify measures that can be introduced to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists in response to Covid-19. We are supporting this work by taking forward some of the measures that have been identified.
Following Board approval, the schemes to be delivered by GCP, listed in the table below, include extensions to the pedestrianised zone in the city centre to make it easier for people to get around while social distancing measures are in place, as well as changes in the wider city to support more people to walk and cycle by creating low traffic streets.
We have developed these proposals with the County Council, and they will be implemented as quickly as possible on an experimental basis, giving people the chance to try them out and provide feedback.
List of measures:-
|
Street/Road |
Measures |
|---|---|
|
Silver Street |
Extend prohibition of general vehicular traffic to 24 /7 for period in which traffic remains low |
|
Historic Centre and Burleigh/Fitzroy pedestrian zones |
Extend core pedestrian zone hours from 6 hours to 7 or 8 hours per day (10:00 to 17:00 or 18:00) |
|
St Andrews Street / Hobson Street area |
Prohibit motor vehicles except hackney carriages and buses between 10:00 and 18:00 |
|
Maids Causeway / Victoria Avenue, Cambridge |
Prohibit through traffic movements between Newmarket Road and Mitcham’s Corner Avenue except for buses |
|
Grange Road |
Prohibit through traffic movements between Barton Road and Madingley Road |
|
Luard Road |
Prohibit through traffic movements between Hills Road and Long Road |
|
Storey’s Way |
Prohibit through traffic movements between Huntingdon road and Madingley Road |
|
Newtown Area |
Prohibit through traffic movements between Hills Road and Trumpington Road/Lensfield Road |
|
Nightingale Avenue (subject to reopening of Fendon Road roundabout) |
Prohibit through traffic movements between Queen Edith’s Way and Hills Road |
|
Carlyle Road, Cambridge |
Prohibit through movements between Chesterton Road and Victoria Road |
As well as supporting and safeguarding cycle and walking during the pandemic, these measures may also offer longer term benefits. They build on our existing plans to reduce congestion, improve air quality and provide better public transport in and around Greater Cambridge.
The costs of the projects will be met from existing budgets.
In addition to these changes we are also talking to businesses about how we can support them through the recovery period, building on its plans for investment announced in February. This includes looking at additional cycle parking, improving access to ebikes and cargo bikes, and working with businesses to develop a pilot for deliveries and freight in the city centre.
