Cambridge Cycling Campaign

Cambridgeshire County Council has published an updated Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for a bus gate on Mill Road bridge. This follows the ending of its defence of a court case against technicalities in the previous TRO wording.

The new TRO documents were published on Friday 9 August and are open for public comment until Friday 13 September. The consultation response will be considered by councillors at a special meeting of the Highways & Transport Committee in October and they will then decide whether to approve the scheme as set out in the TRO. The council’s aims for the scheme are to reduce congestion and associated air and noise pollution, improve road safety and encourage active travel.

Councillors will consider a report of all responses – both positive and negative – and we know that messages of support will be vital to inform the political debate during the meeting and to strengthen councillors’ will to see this scheme implemented. Even if you’ve responded to a previous consultation on the Mill Road bus gate, it’s essential that you share your views again and tell councillors what a difference this scheme will make.

Points to make in your response to the 2024 Mill Road TRO

The top four points are the most important to include. Please edit and personalise. For example, you may wish to explain how the scheme will benefit your health, local journeys and overall experience of Mill Road.

• I wholly support this TRO for a bus gate on Mill Road bridge.
• The bus gate scheme is in line with the transport, health, air quality, planning and environmental policies of local authorities and will provide an overall benefit to the quality of life of the people who live on, work on, and visit Mill Road.
• The scheme is necessary for public safety. Mill Road frequently ranks in the top 10 most dangerous roads in both the city and the county and features five of the county council’s collision cluster sites: areas experiencing high numbers of collisions resulting in injury or death.

• A bus gate scheme has strong levels of public and political support. In the 2022 consultation carried out by the Greater Cambridge Partnership, 72% of respondents supported vehicle restrictions on Mill Road bridge and 77% opposed doing nothing. 54% indicated that congestion was the most important issue affecting the way they use Mill Road. In a previous consultation, held by Cambridgeshire County Council as a review of the scheme trialled during the Covid pandemic, 59% of respondents wanted to see restrictions on the bridge made permanent or continue to be trialled with some amendments. Local councillors have been calling for restrictions to through motor traffic on Mill Road bridge for over 50 years. In July 2022, members of the Highways & Transport committee from all parties unanimously agreed to proceed to a TRO on a new scheme.

You can also include some, or all, of the following points.

• The scheme will improve active travel. Safety concerns are the number one barrier to cycling; a reduction in vehicle traffic volumes and the slower speed enabled by the lack of a through-route will make this a safer and more pleasant place to ride. People walking and wheeling will also benefit, especially if the pavements are widened as part of the broader Mill Road improvement scheme. With less air pollution, noise pollution and congestion, Mill Road will be a nicer place to travel actively. This will result in a range of wider benefits including greater independence for children and older residents and improved health.
• The scheme will improve bus reliability: Stagecoach have had to change their timetables recently because of problems with congestion. The no. 2 service on Mill Road experienced fewer delays during the 2020-21 bus gate trial.
• The proposed disability-related exemptions will provide a sensible balance for access to the street, while reducing the current disability-related problems caused by existing traffic.
• There is no safe level of air pollution; the Greater Cambridge Air Quality Strategy 2024-2029 encourages a focus on reducing exposure wherever possible. All improvements in air quality will benefit health as well as enabling more people to choose walking and cycling. Vehicle traffic is the main contributor to NO2 emissions within the city and also generates particulates. Mill Road is a narrow street with many residential properties, restaurants, places of worship and shops close to the road: people in all locations along the street will benefit from the lower air pollution enabled by reducing traffic.
• Noise pollution has an adverse effect on health, particularly for children. The biggest source of noise pollution in cities is vehicle traffic. Health issues caused by noise pollution include hearing loss, high blood pressure, chronic headaches and poor sleep. Noise pollution will be reduced on Mill Road with lower levels of through motor traffic.
• The Mill Road bus gate scheme will improve public space on the street, freeing up space for the installation of measures such as wider pavements, increased cycle parking and more greenery. With a reduction in traffic, the street will become a more pleasant place to visit and stay, boosting local businesses.
• The scheme has been designed well, in collaboration with local councillors and other stakeholders such as disability groups. The 2024 TRO is well-drafted in response to issues raised with the 2022 documents.
• Restrictions only apply to some through motor traffic. For all vehicles, including residents and visitors, access will be retained 24/7 to Mill Road on both sides of the bridge.

The 2024 TRO: your questions answered

What is a TRO?

A TRO, or traffic regulation order, allows a local highway authority (in this case, Cambridgeshire County Council) to place a restriction on traffic within their area. It is the legal framework which sets out how the scheme will be implemented. A TRO can apply to all kinds of traffic, from HGVs to pedestrians, and can be permanent, temporary or experimental. A TRO is required to implement a permanent bus gate on Mill Road bridge.

Why is another consultation needed?

Implementing a TRO requires a statutory procedure to be followed. The council must obtain the views of local county, district and parish councillors), the police and the emergency services. It must also publish the draft order (with at least one notice in the local press) and invite the public to comment. The purpose of this is to allow people to make objections. It does not supersede the result of the public consultation held in 2022, the results of which will be considered by elected members when they decide whether to implement the scheme.

Must I really do this again? It’s so frustrating to make the same points so many times.

We understand that many people feel like this. But those opposed to the Mill Road bus gate won’t be giving up without a fight, despite the result of the 2024 local elections showing their position is not supported. The community has been waiting for over 50 years for a scheme like this and it’s been over 1,100 days since the Covid-19 trial scheme was removed and through-traffic poured back along the street. If you want a return to a quiet, safe and pleasant Mill Road, please spare two minutes of your time to respond and two more to ask a few friends to do so too.