Camcycle calls on county council to complete Mill Road improvements quickly and support the local community
Camcycle supports the temporary walking and cycling schemes approved by local authorities to tackle urgent issues of public health and support the rebuilding of the local economy. The initial changes on Mill Road have opened up more space for those walking, cycling or using mobility scooters to visit local businesses as over 50% of restaurants, bars and other food and drink locations are expected to reopen this weekend.
However, we urge the council to complete the works quickly as the current situation is confusing for everyone and causing unnecessary conflict along the street. It is essential that the street becomes a welcoming place for everyone to visit with space for people to maintain safe distances from each other and improved access for traders and those with disabilities.
We reiterate our call for:
- Better signage at each end of Mill Road, making it clear the street is open for business with full access to all properties
- Proper mandatory signs at each end of the bridge closure point (circular no motor vehicles or entry signs with an appropriate exception plate for buses and cycles underneath) and camera enforcement of the closure
- Increased cycle parking all along the street (on the roadway, not the pavement)
- Marked delivery bays, short-stay parking and disabled car parking in safe locations. Without motor traffic using up all the roadspace, there is now parking space for shoppers who need to travel by car
- Improvements to access for those with disabilities or travelling by bus – clearer signage will help those who need to travel by car and reduce bus delays caused by unexpected U-turns
- Temporary bollards and enforcement to prevent pavement parking
- Outside seating areas to provide space for customers of local food businesses and additional outdoor shopping space for retail outlets
- Tree planters next to the pavement widenings and other decorations and public art along the street
- A Mill Road promotional campaign to attract visitors to the street, in addition to promotion by existing bodies such as Love Cambridge (see right). Many ideas for this have been posted on the Mill Road Bridges website.
Mill Road can and should be a thriving and safe place to shop and visit. The county council needs to do its best to get these complementary measures in place as soon as possible, to give a clear message that Mill Road is open and safe.