Project Summary
The Waterbeach Greenway will be an active travel route to make it easier for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to travel from Waterbeach 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.
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.
- Serves Waterbeach New Town and Waterbeach Barracks, with 11,000 projected houses.
- Route from Waterbeach village to Cambridge with links to the Haling Way by the river.
- Easy access to the north of Milton village and Milton Country Park
- Links to Cambridge Research Park and other workplaces in this part of Cambridge and beyond
- Links to the new Cambridge Sports Lakes, the Chisholm Trail and Cambridge North railway station.
Current status
A public consultation has taken place and the report was approved by the GCP Executive Board on 19 February 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 Waterbeach Greenway runs for 4.2 miles with an additional 2.6 miles.
The route has two spurs from Waterbeach. The first starts at the Waterbeach Barracks development and passes through the west of the village and across Car Dyke Road. The second starts at new railway station at Waterbeach New Town and proceeds to Waterbeach village and the existing Waterbeach railway station. It then widens to four metres and has the benefit of a grassy verge for walkers, joggers and horse riders who choose to use it. There is a spur which leads west to the north of Milton village and east to the river and Haling Way. The route continues along an existing path through Milton Country Park to the Jane Coston Bridge across the A14. A new, more direct route to Cambridge North railway station will involve the construction of an underpass under the A14. In both cases, the route ends at Cambridge North, where it joins the Chisholm Trail.
The map below was produced for the Executive Board meeting in October 2020 and will be updated once detailed design work has been completed.
