Views sought on Waterbeach Greenway route via Milton village

Fresh proposals for a new walking and cycling route between Waterbeach and Cambridge have been published.

The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) has developed a revised route for the Waterbeach Greenway, which includes a new, off-road path from Waterbeach to Milton, running through fields behind the A10. The route would then run through Milton village and over the A14 onto Cowley Road and Cambridge North station.

It is one of 12 Greenways being developed by the GCP to create a network of attractive walking, wheeling and cycling routes linking surrounding town and villages to Cambridge.

Cllr Elisa Meschini, Chair of the GCP Executive Board, said:

“We’re putting forward this revised Greenway to help more people to walk, wheel or cycle to the shops, to work or to meet up with friends and family.

“As our region grows, it is vital we put in the infrastructure like this to connect people by providing safer, cleaner and greener alternatives to the car and work with our communities on the design of them.”

Thomas Fitzpatrick, Head of GCP Programme, said:

“As the new plans are at an early stage of development, we really want to hear people’s views and suggestions.

“The comments we receive help us to shape proposals to make our streets and roads safer and to create new connections for our communities.”

The proposals for the Waterbeach Greenway have been published on the GCP’s website and people have until midday on Friday 8 December to comment on them.

The GCP is hosting a public webinar on Monday 30 October and an open drop-in event in Milton Community Centre on Tuesday 7 November from 2:30-7pm where people can share their views on the proposals.

The previous route for the Waterbeach Greenway would have run alongside the railway line and through Milton Country Park but it was discounted by the GCP’s Executive Board in September.

The decision to consult on a new route was taken after further technical investigations revealed major challenges with the original alignment. The originally proposed route would have faced a much higher chance of regular flooding, impacting people’s ability to use the route and requiring engineering works, such as embankments and bridges, that would have significantly raised the scheme’s cost and its environmental impacts.

Depending on the outcome of the consultation, the full route could be completed by 2026.

For more information and to have your say visit www.greatercambridge.org.uk/waterbeach-greenway