England’s first cycle street has sparked fierce debate, with some questioning the investment while others welcome sustainable transport improvements
Cambridgeshire Live readers expressed strong opinions beneath our article about Adams Road being made England’s first ‘cycle street’. Many questioned the cost of the project, while others supported changes that facilitate walking, cycling, and bus travel.
The scheme aims to create safer cycling routes across the city and forms part of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s (GCP) Comberton Greenway. Construction work to transform Adams Road into a cycle street began on Monday, October 13.
It is anticipated to take approximately 30 weeks to finish. The road has been closed to cars, with signage directing motorists to alternative routes, since work began.
Adams Road is amongst the busiest cycle routes in Cambridge, with roughly 3,000 cyclists using it during peak periods. The scheme seeks to enhance cyclist safety by reducing on-street parking to eliminate blind spots, redesigning junctions, and providing wider pavements.
One reader, Banthebikes, comments: “Ask everyone in Cambridge what they think about this and you will get a different answer, only a couple of people that live there say it’s good, but the majority of Cambridge people think it’s another waste of money and will not be used.”
Rhodabike believes: “Every street in Cambridge can be cycled on. Adams Road is not the first ‘cycle street’ here, let alone the whole of England. Who came up with this absurd claim?”
Freddly says: “It’s important that projects like this go into ‘poorer’ areas of the city too. The value of houses on Adams Street will go up; less wealthy citizens in other areas should also benefit from the car removal bounty, too. ‘The road has been blocked off to cars with signs providing drivers with diversions around the area.’ This is the key, and the rollout of programmes that increase the convenience of active and bus travel, while simultaneously increasing the *in*convenience of reaching destinations by car, is welcome.”
Brexit498 asks: “First, what is this costing? As for the climate argument, the existing tarmac (in good condition) was torn up (a lot of energy) and replaced with new tarmac. How is this good for the climate? Or is the climate researcher working for the contractor’s PR department? Then we have the spin doctors’ favourite, up to 3,000 cyclists per day: Google showed six in the pics. Let’s see a full statistical analysis of use by time of day.”
Sedis disagrees: “The existing road surface was absolutely not in good condition. Whilst I think a lot of the work should not have been a priority and the money would have been better spent elsewhere, the road surface did need attention.”
Calumen Nomen writes: “Enjoy waiting a lot longer for the ambulance /police/ fire brigade when it’s your turn to need any of them. Nobody with any sense is ‘into’ cycling. That’s why we invented things like cars.”
Sedis says: “Cars can still use the road and there are parking bays, so I don’t know why this is being called a cycle street. The footpath is wider in places, but the benefits of this are somewhat nullified, as where the parking bays and ‘rain gardens’ will be, it is just as narrow as before. Some of the rain gardens and bays are adjacent to lamp posts, which seems like poor planning. This project has very little to do with active travel and is just further gentrifying what was already a very nice area.”
Julianhancock thinks: “By all means. The city would, however, either cease to function or see many services move out, given the percentage of workers who have to commute in because they can’t afford to live in or even near the city. And no, better public transport, park and rides etc would not be the answer, given that very many people don’t actually work in the city centre and/or work shifts.”
Would you like to see more ‘cycle streets’ across Cambridge? Comment below or HERE to have your say.
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