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Greenways update: January 2025

Published 30 January 2025

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Welcome to our first Greater Cambridge greenways update of 2025

A look ahead at what’s on the horizon as we continue to make travelling across the region easier, greener and safer

We’ll be sharing how our work is making your favourite walking routes even better, giving you every reason to get out and about at the start of the year.

This month features:

  • What’s coming up in January and February as we work to ensure connectivity in Waterbeach and improve road safety in Horningsea
  • A look ahead to the rest of the year as we continue to deliver improved ways to walk, cycle, wheel and even horse ride across our area.

Waterbeach greenway – Cowley Road

Waterbeach 1 - Jan 2025

Work on the controlled crossing point north of St Johns Innovation Centre was completed in December, with work this month focusing on installing the fibre and electrical lines underneath the footpath. Temporary crossings with signed pedestrian routes are still in place for all users to maximise safety. Find out more.

Horningsea greenway – Fen Ditton

Horningsea 1 - Jan 2025

Our work in Horningsea and Fen Ditton is nearly complete, with just improvements to streetlighting and the introduction of high-friction road surfacing to help prevent skidding and mitigate the risk of collisions left to install. Work is expected to wrap up in February, by which time both villages will have benefited from pedestrian-friendly upgrades making walking through the villages safer and more enjoyable. Find out more.

Ground investigations

Early ground investigations, utility and drainage surveying is set to take place on the Barton, Comberton, Melbourn, St Ives and Sawston greenways during the next few next months, so you may see our team out and about conducting ground investigation and utility identification. 

Looking ahead

There’s plenty of activity on the cards for our 12 greenways in 2025 as we work to deliver better connectivity, active travel routes and greener options for getting around Greater Cambridge. Here’s a snapshot of what’s to come as we continue delivering more of the greenways. 

Barton Greenway

Planning applications to aid the construction of the off-line sections of the greenway for raised crossings and a 20mph speed limit to make travelling safer for everyone – especially school children heading to Barton Primary School – are being submitted. Work to upgrade and widen the existing path along Barton Road between the edge of the City and Haggis Farm roundabout is also set to begin in the spring. Find out more.

Bottisham greenway

Ahead of construction starting in the summer (subject to planning permission), our focus over the next couple of months is on investigating and developing plans to ensure we protect wildlife and the environment while delivering the best possible transport links for anyone using this route in the future. Find out more.

Comberton greenway

We’ve completed the early works programme along this greenway which has made school runs safer and easier, helped blind and partially sighted people navigate road crossings by the installation of ‘tactile paving’ and improved visibility as well as personal safety by renewing lighting. This year we are concentrating on our work in Coton and along Adams Road. Work in these areas will improve junctions, introduce traffic-calming measures and add new planting to improve rainwater absorption. You may see our teams on Adams Road in April conducting utility and drainage surveys, as well as ground investigations, ahead of construction beginning later in the spring to ensure a seamless transition and reduce delays. Find out more.

Fulbourn greenway

Phase 1 – connecting the village to Yarrow Road – will begin this year, providing residents with smoother, safer routes to the local hospital, supermarkets and more. Planning for Phases 2 and 3 will progress throughout the year. Find out more.

Haslingfield greenway

The project is now in its final design phases, and once complete, the greenway will be a place full of nature’s vibrancy for all to enjoy, whether you’re cycling to work, going for a run or simply enjoying a leisurely walk along a greener, more sustainable route. The full planning application will be submitted in the spring. Find out more.

Horningsea greenway

Improvements to lighting and surfacing along the greenway will carry on throughout the year to amplify visibility along the entire route. Find out more.

Linton greenway

The work along Newmarket Road in Little Abington was completed in December 2024 after just over four months. Thanks to this, 1,500 residents can enjoy better and safer journeys along the road to the Granta Park roundabout to east of Bourn Bridge Road. This year will see new designs drawn up for the remaining sections of the greenway, as well as for an upgraded footbridge over the A11 to enhance safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists. Watch the video to learn more as the Linton Greenway moves closer to completion. Find out more.

Melbourn greenway

With the new and improved path linking Meldreth Station to Station Road now firmly in use, work this year will focus on creating safer walking, running and riding routes to neighbouring Shepreth – meaning residents and commuters will have a safe way to get to where they need to go. Construction on the rest of the Melbourn greenway is expected to commence in 2026. Find out more

Sawston greenway

Plans to widen the DNA route and improve routes through Stapleford and Great Shelford are underway, with designs expected to be completed soon. These changes will help create better-connected villages for all who live, work and travel in and around the area. Find out more

St Ives greenway

The preliminary design for the Oakington to Cottenham route is now finished, supported by ecological surveys and environmental assessments. Work will now take place to produce detailed designs and undertake safety assessments. We hope to complete this work before the end of the year to start construction in 2026. Find out more.

Swaffhams greenway

Following engagement last year, we’ve been working on our detailed designs to provide a safer and easier route between the villages of Swaffham Bulbeck, Swaffham Prior and Lode to Cambridge. The designs will be complete by the spring. Find out more.

Waterbeach greenway

We’re continuing our work to create a new, segregated cycle track and separate footway along Cowley Road. We have encountered a number of utilities which we have had to be careful not to damage. We will complete the scheme by spring. Find out more

A better way to walk – four upgrades you’ll love

Elisa headshot

The greenways are changing the way we travel around Cambridgeshire – making it safer, greener and ultimately more enjoyable. Already, improvements to popular walking routes across Meldreth, Fen Ditton and Linton have made walking more accessible for leisure and journeys into work and school. With many of you looking to get more of your steps in this year, Cllr Elisa Meschini, Chair of the GCP Executive Board, takes a look at the four main ways our greenways are helping to improve walking around our fast-growing region.

 1. New or improved paths between places 

For many of our rural communities, country roads are the only way to get from A to B. If these roads have pavements alongside them, they can be patchy, give up at big junctions or disappear altogether.  

The greenways reconnect our rural communities – bridging gaps, creating new paths alongside bridleways or next to roads. Our work upgrades existing paths – take Newmarket Road in Little Abington as part of the Linton Greenway. Our work has ensured better and safer journeys along the road to the Granta Park roundabout to east of Bourn Bridge Road, Additionally, our work over in Melbourn to connect the village to Meldreth Station now means users can cross over fields and under the A10 safely and with ease.

2. Improved bridges and crossings over roads, railways and waterways

We’ll be installing new bridges and crossings where people need them as part of the greenways. We’re also working hard to make some of our existing bridges on our greenways accessible to all who want to use them – from making older bridges step-free to installing smaller bridges to connect more rural walking routes.

But it’s not just bridges. Across the region we’re planning to implement modern, safer traffic-light-controlled crossings. We’ve already put new safer crossings over key slip-roads and installed new zebra crossings outside schools in Comberton and Fen Ditton.

3. Safer roads with 20mph limits, improved pavements across junctions and shorter crossings

A core part of the greenways will be introducing 20mph streets, like the section introduced in Comberton Village. While we’re lucky to have low rates of injury, the fear of it puts a lot of people off walking and makes our journeys by foot or bike more stressful. For many parents, safety on the school run is a top concern.

Our 20mph streets in many places will be accompanied by small things that add up to make a big difference, like ‘raised tables’ where the raised speed hump covers a whole junction so there’s a level surface to walk or wheel across and, importantly, remains free of puddles.  

4. Places for people and wildlife

The greenways are also about making the most of the spaces along the routes for people and wildlife. Whether it’s stretching your legs at lunchtime, going out to play or just watching the world go by, these routes are a gateway to exploring and witnessing the amazing wildlife and natural environment we sometimes take for granted. It is these little features that make walking more enjoyable and enriching. 

Find out more

Dog Walking - Jan 2025

Pawsome walks on our greenways – celebrating National Dog Walking Month

January was ‘National Dog Walking Month,’ and we couldn’t resist celebrating. Keep an eye on our socials as we’ll be sharing photos of our four-legged friends exploring the new and improved greenways in Meldreth and Comberton. With smoother paths, better crossings, and new streetlights, our routes are now safer and more enjoyable, for both you and your pooches. Don’t miss seeing some of the cuties that have enjoyed a fetch, sniff, and stroll long our improved routes.

Keeping in touch

We’ll continue to update you on the early works in our next monthly newsletter, along with news about works on the other greenways and when they are due to start. 

If you have any construction queries in the meantime, please email greenways@milestoneinfra.co.uk or call the 24-hour contact centre on 0800 028 1363.  

For all other enquiries, contact us at  hello@greatercambridge.org.uk