PROJECT SUMMARY
The St Ives Greenway will be an active travel route to make it easier for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to travel from St Ives into Cambridge. It is one of twelve Greater Cambridge Greenways. These will make it easier both to travel in a pleasant and sustainable way into and out of Cambridge and to enjoy our countryside for leisure purposes. They will also help to make local journeys such as school and nursery runs safer and easier. In some cases these are new routes, or routes with new sections, whilst others will be based on existing paths.
The map below is indicative and not to scale. You can download a high-res pdf of this map and a cycling time guide from the Related Documents section below. As the project progresses, we will update each section.
Key benefits
- Green active travel into and out of Cambridge for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
- Easy and safe travel to workplaces, local schools and colleges, shops and transport hubs.
- The Greenway broadly follows the busway but with new links to make it more accessible from local centres
- Easy access to RSPB Fen Drayton
- Links to the new town of Northstowe
- The Swavesey to St Ives section will have an embankment to make it safer when there are floods
- Convenient links to Cambridge Regional College and the Cambridge Science Park.
Current status
A report has been approved by the GCP Executive Board on 25th June 2020 (see the Agenda Pack pages 43-56 for the Greenway Report). Following the Board's approval, we have started the process of detailed design.
Latest update
- As part of the detailed design work, we will carry out site surveys and liaise with landowners and others along the planned route.
- The choice of surface material for each part of the Greenway will take into account the surrounding environment and landscape as well as the needs of the path users. The Greenway path must be useable in all weathers and all seasons.
- We will make sure that off-road sections are well signposted.
- Safety will be a top priority when the Greenways are on or near public roads.
- Finally, the Greenways project aims to make improvements to the environment. We will create places to sit and enjoy the surroundings as well as supporting wildlife and developing bee-friendly corridors.
Project details
The St Ives Greenway runs for 12.2 miles with 4.6 miles of additional pathway.
The route starts in St Ives, passing RSPB Fen Drayton, from which there is a spur to Fen Drayton. It then continues to Swavesey, passing Longstanton, to the new town of Northstowe. This section contains spurs to Over and Rampton. At Oakington there is a further spur to Cottenham. The Greenways proceeds to Histon, with a spur to Girton en route. It then enters Cambridge, passing Cambridge Regional College and Cambridge Science Park, before ending at Cambridge North railway station and the Chisholm Trail.
There are already several Quick Wins, which have either been completed or are being discussed:
- Girton to Oakington link.
- Willingham improvements to Busway link.
- Rampton, Bannolds Drove link.
- Also a new off-road walking and cycle route from Cottenham to Oakington is in progress. Negotiations are planned with landowners/occupiers.
