A14 bridge barriers to go at last as county council agree to replace them with bollards

After over six months of campaigning, the dangerous chicane barriers near the active travel bridges over the A14 at Swavesey and Bar Hill are to be replaced with removeable bollards. At a meeting of the county council’s Highways and Transport Committee on 27 July, this decision was unanimously approved by councillors.

map with photos of barriers
Overview of the two bridges with inset photos of each barrier (map via OpenStreetMap).

We’re delighted to have achieved this success thanks to the hard work of trustee Matthew Danish and other Camcycle campaigners, the many members and supporters who signed our petition, collaboration with other local groups including the Swavesey & District Bridleways Association and the help of local councillors. We’ll be working with council officers to advise on the detailed design and layout of the new bollards (plus some pedestrian guardrail for the northern approach to the Swavesey bridge). The bridges should then once more be fully accessible to users of all ages and abilities on foot, cycle, horseback or using mobility aids.

Black and yellow bollard in the middle of a narrow cycle bridgeWe will continue to campaign for LTN 1/20 (the government’s guidance on inclusive cycle infrastructure design) to be officially adopted by our transport authorities and to work for the removal of all barriers which prevent access by all riders using all types of cycle. We’ve already been sent some ideas for the next ones to be removed, including this dangerous post on the route from Brampton Hut to Alconbury.

Please get in touch if you know of a barrier that should be removed.