What went right this week: life-changing inventions, plus more

England’s first Dutch-style “cycle street”, which gives cyclists and pedestrians priority over motorists, has opened in Cambridge.

Adams Road, a key route into the city, is painted to look like a bike lane, and treats motorists as “guests”. It is already being used by around 3,000 cyclists a day, officials say – a figure likely to rise as people feel more confident about cycling into the city. 

Common in Belgium and the Netherlands, where they are known as a fietsstraats, the roads have started appearing in Germany, Canada and even the US.

While the intervention was welcomed by many in Cambridge, some have scoffed at the £2m price tag, which, councillors pointed out, also covered the construction of rainwater gardens to mitigate flooding.

Anna Williams, head of campaigns at Camcycle, a local charity, said she hoped the cycle street will be “the first of many in the city”.  

“Providing more space for people walking, wheeling and cycling will improve safety, encourage more people to choose active travel for their everyday journeys and create a nicer street for everyone who uses it,” she added.

Image: Greater Cambridge Partnership
Main image: European Inventor Award