County Council votes to return traffic to Mill Road
Traffic congestion will be returning to Mill Road
Camcycle is disappointed with the decision by the Highways and Transport Committee today, July 27, to remove the bus gate and motor traffic restrictions on Mill Road bridge.
The chair of the committee, Labour Councillor for West Chesterton Gerri Bird (in place of Lib Dem Councillor Peter McDonald who was unable to attend due to Covid), had the casting vote after the committee vote was split 7-7.
We believe this decision was contrary to the wishes of the majority of local residents which was made clear by the data and representations made to councillors and the results of recent elections. It was also an outright failure of the new County Council Lib Dem and Labour coalition to abide by their own promises to put climate change at the heart of their administration.
However, the committee did agree to undertake a full review and consultation on the options for a bus gate with appropriate exemptions and we look forward to working with the Cambridge community to develop ideas for a vibrant Mill Road that is safe and pleasant for people walking, cycling, trading and spending time and money on Mill Road.
Proposals for Mill Road should also take into account the urgent need to reduce motor traffic not just on this road, but also across Cambridge. The Greater Cambridge Partnership is working on a City Access strategy to reduce car traffic in Cambridge and this should be taken into consideration when plans for improvements to Mill Road are made.
The outcome today has done nothing to solve the problems on Mill Road. Air pollution will return, road danger will return, pavements will remain inaccessible, loading restrictions have not been improved, car and cycle parking has not been improved. The community remains divided and unrepresented by policy and a heavy stream of traffic that will only continue to increase as we recover from the pandemic.
Camcycle’s Executive Director, Roxanne De Beaux is also a local Mill Road resident said “The decision today will be very disappointing for many local people and businesses. However, it is vital that we now work to ensure a thorough consultation takes place to ensure effective measures are introduced to Mill Road to reduce the road danger, air pollution and carbon emissions from excessive amounts of car traffic while creating a vibrant and accessible road that is great to travel along, conduct business and to spend time and money.”
If you want to see traffic reduction on Mill Road then please keep up the pressure on your county councillors to ensure this consultation begins as soon as possible and join Camcycle to support our work.
Read more about our vision for Mill Road at www.camcycle.org.uk/millroad
