Community plants tree as part of Milton Road project to improve walking, cycling & bus journeys

Members of the community planted a tree to help create a green gateway to the city as part of a Greater Cambridge Partnership project to improve people’s daily journeys.

Cllr Elisa Meschini, Chair of the GCP’s Executive Board, was joined by residents and contractors for the tree planting ceremony on the Elizabeth Way roundabout on Thursday.

Around 200 trees will be planted as part of GCP’s Milton Road project which aims to improve bus, walking and cycling journeys while creating a greener and more attractive route for people who live in and travel along this key route in and out of Cambridge.

The area surrounding the Elizabeth Way roundabout will see new landscaping areas introduced as part of the GCP’s commitment to enhancing biodiversity in the delivery of its projects, in addition to implementing improved crossing facilitates to better connect communities.

Cllr Meschini said:

“People in my division have told me since the beginning how important the Milton Road project is to them – they want better walking, cycling and bus journeys so they can get to work, school and to see friends. They also told me how important trees are to them, to their wellbeing, and to their pride in the place they live and call home.

“We have designed the landscaping of the roundabout in conjunction with the community and are planting around 200 new trees to ensure Milton Road becomes a green gateway to our city. I look forward to seeing people enjoying the road when it is completed.”

The GCP is making good progress with the delivery of the wider Milton Road project.

Work has completed on the north-east section of the King’s Hedges junction where we are reducing the footprint of the junction to create Cambridge’s second CYCLOPS junction, providing more space for pedestrians and cyclists.

Three of the four quadrants of the Elizabeth Way roundabout have been delivered, with work on the fourth quadrant to the south-east of the roundabout expected to conclude later this autumn.

Works at Cambridge Science Park have been completed, including the widening of the footway, installing new streetlighting columns and resurfacing the existing shared use path.

The Milton Road scheme includes new bus lanes and walking and cycling links to encourage more people to walk, cycle and travel by public transport to school, work and to see friends to help to cut congestion and improve air quality.

The project is being built by Milestone, which delivered the GCP’s award-winning Histon Road scheme.

For more information and updates visit the project page.