TEN.. Good design in cycle crossings

Case study

Contrasting designs: Gonville Place vs. Queen’s Road

When the crossing on Queen’s Road was upgraded, it resulted in an excellent facility which segregates cyclists and pedestrians, offers a wide unencumbered crossing area and detects cyclists automatically without the frustrating need to stop, press a button and wait.

By contrast, when the Gonville Place crossing was replaced in 2006, there were many complaints. The new crossing did not segregate pedestrians from cyclists, there was no automatic detection of cyclists, there was no visual indicator on one side of the road and the sheer number of posts put in place was hazardous and unnecessary. This was a clear case of an off-the-shelf Department for Transport design which did not fit the area. Pressure from the Campaign resulted in these design faults having to be corrected, at public expense.

With joined-up thinking, it should be possible to create crossings in Cambridge that use up-to-date technology and the best design for the area, to facilitate the smooth flow of cyclists and walkers.

The lesson here is clear: crossings must be designed to facilitate high levels of cycle usage.