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SIX.. Area-wide solutions: Primary cycle routes

The need for continuity

The quality of primary cycle routes in Cambridge is very variable. Routes across the city’s commons - including the Jubilee Cycle Route which starts at the Newmarket Road Park and Ride site and follows the river - are very important and well used (though in fact even these would benefit from being wider, for example across Midsummer Common), whilst to the south of the city cyclists are well catered for with several new routes.

Within the city itself, however, it’s a different story. For example when cycling between Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the city centre there are well planned routes along both Hills Road and Long Road, but on arriving at Hills Road Bridge the cycle lane stops and what was a safe and friendly route suddenly becomes scary and hostile.

As a result, Addenbrooke’s to the city centre is a cycle route with a large gap in it and cycle routes with gaps in them can be almost worse than no routes at all. Leaving a cyclist stranded mid-route with no alternative provision means that in future he or she will leave the bike at home and take the car into work.