This section lists issues - problems on the street network and related matters.
Issues always relate to some geographical location, whether very local or perhaps city-wide.
You can create a new issue using the button on the right.
Listed issues, most recent first, limited to the area of Histon and Impington Active Travel:
I'm thinking of convening a workshop or possibly simply an informal gathering (possibly at a pub or cafe) to discuss techniques and ideas for responding to planning applications. The timing is right, I think, with the approval of the new Local Plans for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire.
All are welcome, whether you already participate or are just interested in getting involved.
I would like to gauge interest first and then we can pick a suitable time and place.
Created by Anna Williams – Head of Campaigns & Engagement // 5 threads
The magazine cheanged to a quarterly publication from December 2018 and is published seasonally in Spring (March), Summer (June), Autumn (September) and Winter (December).
The aims of the magazine are to:
– Continue to provide an update to our members and supporters on Camcycle's recent work and campaigns
– Continue to cover all aspects of cycling from planning application to personal stories and build on this foundation to make sure we are giving a voice to people of all ages and backgrounds
– Continue to strike the balance between a professional-looking magazine with a grassroots feel
– Proactively set the agenda for decision-makers, clearly communicating our vision through in-depth features on aspects of our policy and manifesto
– Develop and showcase our work with local partners including businesses and organisations who support our charity's aims and/or provide examples of best practice in working for more, better and safer cycling in and around Cambridge
– Drive forward bold and successful campaigns for cycling, providing all who read the magazine with clear calls to action so that they can get involved and amplify our voice
– Provide rewarding and sustainable roles to volunteers; attracting new members to the team and recognising long-term contributors.
– Appeal to non-members of Camcycle and even non-cyclists; taking them on the journey from awareness to action. Join. Donate. Volunteer. Share our vision. Support our work and help create a vibrant and people-friendly city.
Created by Roxanne (Cycling Campaign Officer) // 1 thread
The City and South Cambridgeshire councils are working in collaboration to prepare an Area Action Plan (AAP) to govern the future redevelopment and regeneration of the Cambridge Northern Fringe area.
D&A mentions there is space for cycle parking but the site layout doesn't show it.
...
Application for outline planning permission for residential development of 2 no. 3 bed room houses with all matters reserved apart from appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.
http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=S/3043/18/OL&theTabNo=3
Created by Robin Heydon // 4 threads
The county council have kicked off the creation of an LCWIP. This issue captures what our inputs are for this process.
Created by Matthew // 1 thread
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-transport-strategy
Lots of interesting stuff about inclusive transport regarding trains, buses, cars, public realm, streets and yes a bit about cycling too. Quotes:
Shared Space:
8.11 While we consider CIHT and DPTAC’s recommendations and how to take them
forward, we are requesting that local authorities pause any shared space schemes
incorporating a level surface they are considering, and which are at the design stage.
We are also temporarily suspending Local Transport Note 1/11. This pause will allow
us to carry out research and produce updated guidance.
Objectives regarding Cycling:
• Update Local Transport Note 2/08, which sets out the Department’s guidance to
local authorities on designing safe and inclusive infrastructure for cyclists, to take
account of developments in cycling infrastructure since its publication in 2008 and
the responses to the draft AAP consultation and publish a revised version by early
2019;
• By 2020, explore the feasibility of amending legislation to recognise the use of
cycles as a mobility aid71 in order to increase the number of disabled people
cycling.
Created by Roxanne (Cycling Campaign Officer) // 24 threads
Camcycle is launching the first ever 'Cambridge Festival of Cycling' which we plan to grow into a recurring festival in September each year.
Along with a range of events, we also plan to conduct a month long Cambridge Cycling Survey.
The aims of the festival:
- Increase awareness of Camcycle leading to more members, volunteers and influence, particularly among new audiences
- Encourage more, better and safer cycling, for all ages and abilities
- Increase our income thorough sponsorship opportunities
- Increase engagement with our campaigning activities
- Create relationships with other community groups who can partner with us on festival events.
sound+fury // 1 thread
This report looks at the cycling situation in Cambridge, Oxford and Milton Keynes.
Created by Anna Williams – Head of Campaigns & Engagement // 1 thread
Air quality in central Cambridge is not as good as it should be. The city is not compliant with EU limit values or UK national air quality objectives for nitrogen dioxide in the city centre and on busy roads – although it is improving slowly. The City Council's Air Quality Action Plan was approved unanimously at Environment Scrutiny Committee on March 13 and they are now opening it out to consultation (21 June - 18 September 2018).
Many of the proposed actions are of interest to Camcycle, but in particular:
• Reducing Heavy Goods Vehicles emissions in the city centre by promoting ‘greener’ methods for making deliveries of goods, such as by cycle or electric vehicles
• Using planning policies to ensure new communities are designed to make it easy for people to use sustainable modes of transport
• Improving public health by providing information about the health impacts of air quality and encouraging everyone to have a more active lifestyle, including walking and cycling
Created by Daniel Thomas // 1 thread
Every year there is funding available through Cambridgeshire County Council's Local Highway Improvement (LHI) Initiative to improve county highways. Organisations can submit proposals to improve highways and we should do so to bring about improvements to cycling and walking infrastructure.
This article describes our successful test case submission for LHI funding:
https://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/134/article6.html
This article describes the LHI funding process:
https://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/137/article15.html
Each submission must cost less than £11,000 total and while multiple related issues may be included in one submission they should be grouped by county ward (partly to make site visits easier). We should prepare an initial list of ideas by June of each year so that the site visits and liaising with local councillors, council officers, and other organisations can be completed by October. If we want to make more than one submission we will need a different co-sponsoring organisation for each submission as each organisation is only allowed one submission per year.
Tom McKeown // 1 thread
Addition of a second all through primary school in Histon and Impington. Cycle vs car parking, active travel access, new access road over the Cottenham shared-use cycle-path.
Created by TJ // 1 thread
Is the Cycling Campaign writing a response to the DEFRA consultation on how to reform the CAP post-Brexit ? Does anyone know if other (national) cycling groups have responded ?
I was thinking that the public good of opening up private farm tracks would be beneficial to commuter and leisure cyclists. For instance I'm sure there's a farm near Grantchester which allows cyclists through, but you need special permission (live in a specific village ?). There must be other examples, where opening up to all cyclists would help commuters from villages.
The documentation is here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-for-food-farming-and-the-environment
online consultation form here:
https://consult.defra.gov.uk/farming/future-of-farming/
It is long winded form, but you can skip pages which you have no interest or knowledge of. However, this is the question which may be of most interest to us:
1. How can we improve the delivery of the current Countryside Stewardship scheme and increase uptake by farmers and land managers to help achieve valuable environmental outcomes?
Created by Matthew // 1 thread
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-ways-to-report-road-accidents-to-the-police
At the moment if you need to report a road traffic accident you must do so in person at a police station or to a police constable.
This proposals in this consultation would allow police forces to offer drivers the option of submitting accident reports by other methods.
The proposals would require changes to Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
roadacc.stats@dft.gsi.gov.uk
This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 24 April 2018
Introduction
1 Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (“the Act”) requires drivers involved in
certain traffic accidents which occur on the road or other public place to report the
accident in person at a police station, or to a constable.
2 Reporting accidents in person puts burdens on drivers, businesses and police forces.
Therefore the Government proposes to amend the Act to allow police forces to offer
drivers the option of submitting accident reports by other methods.
3 We expect that, as a result of this change, police forces will offer drivers the option of
reporting accidents online or by telephone. This will make it simpler, quicker and
cheaper for drivers to fulfil their statutory obligation to report the accident, and for the
police to record the accident details.
QUOTE:
``Invites those with an interest in improving safety of cyclists and pedestrians to provide evidence, drawing on experience from the UK or other countries, that can be used to shape future policy decisions.
Foreword
Active travel, making journeys by physically active means such as cycling and walking, has huge potential benefits both for individuals and for our wider society. The Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, published in April 2017, set out our aim to make cycling and walking the natural choices for shorter journeys or as part of a longer journey.
We have made good progress to date; Government spending on cycling trebled between 2010 and 2017, and on average people are cycling further than they did ten years ago. In some cities, notably London, there has been a sharp increase in the level of cycling. But there is much more to do, and our ambition in this review goes further still: to make cycling the natural mode of transport even for a 12 year old.
Since the cycle safety review was announced, the Department has worked closely with cycling, walking and wider road safety organisations to identify the main issues that should be tackled as a priority to improve safety between cyclists and other road users. During that process of engagement, it became clear how many actual and potential policy areas were relevant to cyclists and pedestrians alike.
Given our strong commitment to cycling and walking, we have therefore decided to use this review to consider safety measures that will bring cycling and walking closer together as part of our overall ambition to increase active travel.
Cycling, like walking, needs to be universally seen as easy, fun and safe. Safety, and the perception of safety, are vital if we are to create a rapid increase in the use of active travel.
The truth is that cycling is generally very safe, and serious accidents are rare. But we need to make it safer still, for all road users, so that it becomes a default mode of transport, whatever one’s age or background. But safety does not simply include road safety - it also includes physical health and well-being, in a clean and green environment. The evidence is clear: cycling and walking have the capacity to transform the health and well-being, not only of people who walk and cycle themselves, but of everyone in society.
We now have a great opportunity: to recast local and national approaches to active travel, and create a new world of genuinely multimodal transport. But to do this we need your help, ideas and evidence. This consultation document summarises some of the key evidence for change, and then highlights key areas in which we are seeking your views.
We are looking for great ideas, for evidence of what works, for examples of good practice from other countries, for innovative technologies, for imaginative solutions, and for idealism tempered with a sense of the practical. Over to you!
JESSE NORMAN''
Following one incident involving a death from one person's dangerous cycling, a new law is proposed.
No cycle parking specified.
Major concern: new dropped kerb access proposed across the Cottenham/Histon cycleway. Visibility splays are minimal with regard to the shared use pathway, drivers' views would be blocked by hedges on either side. Dropped kerb will likely result in further degradation of the shared use pathway.
...
1, Garden Walk, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9HH
Outline planning permission for up to 3 detached dwellings with new access and parking with all matters reserved
http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=S/0623/18/OL
sound+fury // 1 thread
I'd like some Camcycle wisdom on buying a second hand bike.
Created by Roxanne (Cycling Campaign Officer) // 1 thread
No cycle parking provided.
Two new detached chalet style dwellings.
Land to the rear of 142, Cottenham Road, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9ET
http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=S/4544/17/FL
South Cambridgeshire
Application reference : S/4544/17/FL
Created by Matthew // 1 thread
The Broxap 'Cambridge' Cycle Shelter (BXMW/CA/1) is intended and marketed to fit 24 cycle spaces provided by two rows of six Sheffield stands. The shelter is 5,000 mm long, which means that the spacing between Sheffield stands is only 800 mm, with 500 mm spaces on either side of the row:
500 + 800 + 800 + 800 + 800 + 800 + 500 = 5,000
https://www.broxap.com/cambridge-cycle-shelter.html
The Cambridge Local Plan (2006) specifies that spacing between Sheffield stands should be 900 mm and newer advice suggests 1,000 mm.
Should we write to the manufacturer and ask that they revise their design, especially if they intend to market this as a 'Cambridge' cycle shelter?
Created by Roxanne (Cycling Campaign Officer) // 1 thread
New dwelling
Rear of, 15, St Andrews Way, Impington, Cambridge, CB24 9NQ
http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=S/3896/17/FL
South Cambridgeshire
Application reference : S/3896/17/FL
Created by Roxanne (Cycling Campaign Officer) // 1 thread
Erection of 34 one and two bed residential apartments and community facility (following demolition of existing buildings) together with partially below ground under-croft car parking, cycle provision, hard and soft landscaping and associated infrastructure.
The Bishops Site, Cambridge Road, IMPINGTON, CB24 9NU
http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=S/0671/17/FL
South Cambridgeshire
Application reference : S/0671/17/FL
Created by Matthew // 1 thread
'My ambition is to ensure that people with physical and hidden disabilities have the same access to transport and opportunities to travel as everyone else. This consultation seeks to understand what more needs to be done to improve transport accessibility and is my first major action as Accessibility Minister.'
We should respond to this consultation.
Created by Roxanne (Cycling Campaign Officer) // 1 thread
Construct a detached building to provide two 2-bedroom flats with associated parking and amenity space. Provide new entrance to PH carpark.
The Railway Vue, Station Road, Impington, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB24 9NP
http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=S/3354/17/FL
South Cambridgeshire
Application reference : S/3354/17/FL
Created by Roxanne (Cycling Campaign Officer) // 1 thread
Planning Application Ref: S/1733/16/FL
Registration Date: 13-Sep-2017
Parish: Impington CP
Main Location: Cambridge Health And Fitness Clinic, Bridge Road, Impington, Cambridgeshire
Full Description: Provision of new Sports Leisure and Sports Training Facilities including New 4G Artificial Training Pitch and additional vehicular and bike parking facilities
This map shows all issues, whether points, routes, or areas:
The most popular issues, based on the number of votes:
Created by David MacKay FRS // 1 thread
Our campaign for safer walking and cycling to/from NWCambridge now has a petition and a first video (of five) summarising our position.
See our new video summarising our petition:
https://youtu.be/hIlQAzsU0js?t=1s
I’d be delighted if you could promote this to your networks. Time is of the essence because a Senate House discussion is coming up [3 Nov 2015], and I will report the number of signatures on our petition there. (But signatures after the date will still be useful.)
More information:
http://tinyurl.com/EddingtonSafety
The petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/EddingtonSafety
Anyone is welcome to sign the petition; we ask people to use the Comment field to let us know if they are University Member / University employee / City resident / SouthCambs resident / etc.
For twitter purposes the recommended hashtag is #EddingtonSafety and there is an @EddingtonSafety account too.
Thanks very much
David
David J C MacKay FRS
djcm1@cam.ac.uk
Regius Professor of Engineering,
Cambridge University Engineering Department
Author of “Sustainable Energy - without the hot air” www.withouthotair.com
and “Information Theory, Inference, and Learning Algorithms” www.inference.eng.cam.ac.uk/mackay/
Girton resident and parent.
Cambridge Cycling Campaign Member
Created by Robin Heydon // 9 threads
The A14 is a very hostile, dangerous road for cycling.
Improvements to it, as well as broader changes to the national framework for cyclist crossings of major roads, are needed.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 4 threads
London Cycling Campaign has reorientated its policy towards a 'Go Dutch' approach.
This aims to learn from best practice abroad rather than continuing with the 'hierarchy of provision' that, in 20 years in the UK, has arguably failed to deliver meaningful change.
This is an overarching issue for conceptual discussion of this issue.
Created by Robin Heydon // 1 thread
The Cottenham to Histon cycleway needs improvement.
Created by Matthew // 2 threads
On 1 January 2026, historic routes in England that aren’t properly recorded will be lost to the public forever. We are looking for people to volunteer their time to help us identify and register these routes before it is too late.
Created by Robin Heydon // 2 threads
The Landbeach Parish Council would like the bridgeway from Landbeach to Cambridge to be upgraded to a cycleway.
Created by velocipedus@gmail.com // 12 threads
Project Orange is an attempt develop our general strategy during the year 2013.
It involves
1) Should Cambridge Go Dutch (or Copenhagenize)
2) A more assertive stance in our interactions with agencies: Demanding of them to make feasible what seems infeasible
3) focus on a regional area 10 miles (15 km) around Cambridge and a dartboard network structure to connect villages,
4) the development of a Bicycle Infrastructure Assessment Tool (BIAC) which will allow us to grade and praise provision
5) Priority over sideroads as part of a Dutch-style approach
5) Development of Visualisation Tools for major projects (Chisholm Trail, Newnham to Newmarket Rd, Mitcham's Corner)
Created by David Earl // 4 threads
There are some evil short grey posts on the busway cycleway that are really hard to see in the dark. I have heard of a number of people hitting them with disastrous consequences
Created by Cllr Ian Manning // 1 thread
The County appointed an officer back in June to review parking policy across the County, starting with the City.
Created by Simon here // 2 threads
Complete separation of cyclists and cars can't always be achieved. To make sharing of the road safer I would like to propose using rumble strips instead of flat paint to separate the bike lane from the rest of the road. It would act as a physical reminder for car-drivers that they are encroaching the bike lane. This happens particularly near pinch points like road bends or crossroads. So even just a selective application of rumble strips could have a very positive effect, I believe. What's the view of the cycling community? Has it been tested?
Created by Roxanne (Cycling Campaign Officer) // 3 threads
The government has announced it will hold a consultation on the introduction of the battery-powered scooters to British roads.
What are the implications for people cycling, walking and scooting?
What is Camcycle's position/policy about e-scooters?
Created by cpax // 2 threads
This ancient right of way is used by cyclists ,horse riders and walkers and is becoming un approachable with no drop kerbs and
with new roads being built that ignore the existence of this route and lack of clear signage , we are in danger of losing this
important route .
Created by Anna Williams – Head of Campaigns & Engagement // 2 threads
Camcycle's time and energy is consistently taken up removing exclusionary barriers (e.g. Biomedical Campus, A14 active travel bridges, Warren Road). We need to consider long-term ways to prevent new barriers going in and remove existing ones which prevent people of all ages and abilities cycling.
Pedestrians and cyclists at the toucan crossing where the busway meets Station Road, Histon have to wait a long time for the lights to change even if there is zero bus or road traffic.
This seems inconsistent with Highway Code rule H1 about the hierarchy of road users. Pedestrians should have priority over non-existent buses!
The A14 Histon Interchange is hostile to bikes as their is no way to safely cross the entrance slip roads onto the A14.
Created by Robin Heydon // 3 threads
There is a need for a link between the A14 Histon interchange with Ring Fort Path in Orchard Park.
Created by cobweb // 1 thread
http://www.dft.gov.uk/news/press-releases/dft-press-20121109a
A DfT consultation to see whether speed limits on single carriageways should be introduced for HGV's. This will clearly have implications for cycle safety.
Created by cobweb // 43 threads
"The Greater Cambridge City Deal was signed by Central Government, Council leaders, businesses and the University of Cambridge and aims to secure hundreds of millions of pounds for the areas of Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire.
The Greater Cambridge City Deal aims to ensure that the success of the area continues by investing in the transport infrastructure, housing and skills needed to see future economic growth.
The first £100m of funding will be made available for transport improvements in the five years from April 2015."
Created by velocipedus@gmail.com // 6 threads
How can we support the growth of local initiatives ?
How can we overcome the division urban and rural cycling?
Would it be useful to establish a network of regional groups?
Could such a network become an interesting partner for the county planners?
Would politicians be able to hear us better if we speak from a position of regional awareness, a a group of groups?
Would it help the elected to understand that things are changing on our roads?
Could such a network support constituent groups, facilitate exchange between these groups, become a more important player in the national context?
Could such a network attract its own funding?
What would be a good name for such a grouping (NAMES ARE IMPORTANT)
We have CTC, Ely, A10 Corridor, Martin T thinking about something in Bury St Edmunds, "Routes around Chatteris", Wisbech forum (set up by the County), - anything else ?
Gallagher Estate, master planners of Orchard Park will soon hand over the highways for adoption by the County Council.
We won't be able to fix this car centric development, but within it there are many pavement cycleways, "cyclists dismount" signs, cul-de-sac signs and others which are wrong or don't apply. There are also issues with dropped kerbs etc.
I am looking for volunteers to audit Orchard Park, making a list of corrections we require before Gallaghers hands this project over.
Created by velocipedus@gmail.com // 9 threads
Outline of issues affecting Histon Rd between Gilbert Rd and Victoria Rd. This stretch is without bike lane. Car parking on one side only, from Victoria Rd to pedestrian access to Recreation Ground.
The fuller length to the north is also part of a City Deal scheme.
Created by Phil Lee // 0 threads
What to do about disgraceful decisions like this:
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Driver-ran-Cambridge-cyclist-mistakenly-thinking/story-24555273-detail/story.html ?
Clearly, the magistrate erred seriously in matters of both fact and law - all the prosecution had to prove was that the way he drives falls below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver.
Equally clearly, it did - nobody who could possibly be described as "competent and careful" would run over something the size of a cyclist without even being aware of it. He even admitted that he was talking on the phone at the time.
It staggers the mind to think what on earth the magistrates were thinking - or what with. Maybe they slept through the case, so didn't hear the prosecution, but were woken up for the defence (how there can be any defence for that is beyond me). Maybe they are dangerous drivers themselves, so sympathise with others of the same ilk instead of adequately discharging the responsibilities they are charged with? Mark Tyler also deserves complete contempt for not pleading guilty, and so preventing this gross miscarriage of justice. He should have been thanking his lucky stars that the police and CPS are so incompetent as not to pursue Dangerous driving, which it equally clearly was.
How can we get rid of incompetent idiots like Phil King (the lead magistrate in this case) who asserted that "there were “significant gaps” in the evidence". It is obvious to me that this dangerous idiot is perverting the course of justice by remaining in his position.
Presumably his colleagues on the bench conspired with him in this perversion - they could (and should) have over-ruled him unless they were parties to the conspiracy, surely?
The evidence was all there - there was a cyclist in front of him - whether the cyclist was upright or on the ground is irrelevant. Mark Tyler drove over him. Neither of those facts were in dispute. That is not the action of a competent and careful driver, and it should be beyond question that a person being in front of the vehicle is something which the driver should be expected to be aware of, which means the test in s3ZA of the Road Traffic Act is satisfied, and the accused is guilty.
The evidence also meets the test in s2A (Meaning of dangerous driving) so there is no excuse whatsoever for clearing him of even the lesser offence of careless driving. With driving like that, it is clear, beyond reasonable doubt, that he should not be in possession of a driving license, and the magistrates failed in their duty to relieve him of it.
As long as dangerous criminals like Phil King are allowed on the bench, the roads will never be safe for anyone.
As a footnote, from the report is appears that this dangerous character commutes from Whitchurch, Hampshire to Clifton Way, Cambridge. What length does that make his effective working day?
It's about 120 miles each way, so at least 4 hours driving (considerably more if in the "rush hour") on top of a full workday. It's utterly moronic to make a commute like that - when I worked anywhere near that far away, I commuted weekly. But this happened on a Wednesday.