Locals are divided over England’s first ever cycle street being built in Cambridge. Some say that it offers a ‘sustainable option’, while others believe “there are better things to invest money in”.
The project is hoping to create safer travel for cyclists around the city and is part of the Greater Cambridge Partnerships (GCP) Comberton Greenway.
Work on turning Adams Road into a cycle street started on Monday, October 13, and is expected to take around 30 weeks to complete. The road has been blocked off to cars with signs providing drivers with diversions around the area.
Adams Road is one of the busiest cycle routes in Cambridge and is used by around 3,000 cyclists at peak times. The project aims to improve the safety of cyclists by reducing on-road parking to remove blind spots, redesign junctions, and offer wider footpaths.
Jenna McKone, 33, has lived in Cambridge for five years. She said: “I am always for better cycling infrastructures and I think if we can pair better infrastructure with fixing the main roads for cars that would be ideal.”
Jenna explained that she “loves that Cambridge is a friendly city for cycling” especially because she cycles to most places. On the other hand, she also regularly drives for work, and in general, she likes that money is being spent on cycling infrastructure but “would like to see it equal on other roads”.
Mary Stillman, 21, said that the cycle street “sounds like a pretty good idea” and will contribute to “help traffic flow better”. However, Mary raised concerns about whether it could cause safety hazards for pedestrians and put them at risk.
She added: “I imagine there are better things to invest money in. It will also take a while so there’s a lot of blocks which is quite inconvenient.” The 21-year-old explained that she used to cycle a lot and that the new cycle street would encourage her to start again.
A 25-year-old, Emma Noble, who has lived in Cambridge for over a year, works for a climate organisation. Due to this, she thinks the new cycle route is “really exciting” and said she is looking forward to seeing “more sustainable options”.
Emma is hoping to start cycling again and now there’s a “safer option” for cyclists, it has encouraged her to do so. The 25-year-old believes that it is a “good use of money” and it is “good for the climate and people”. Promoting and creating a cycle street will encourage more people to use a bike rather than a car, she believes.
A lady, gave her name as Kris, commented that she thinks it is a good idea because she believed it is a very bike-orientated city.
Yuening Du is 23 and lives in Cambridge. Yuening believed that it is “causing inconvenience due to the road construction” and it is taking “more time to get to the destination”.
The 23-year-old dislikes that there has been “a lot of noise” made by the construction team. However, she cycles in Cambridge so believes it “is an improvement to have somewhere specific you can cycle”.
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