Elections

Narrow pavements and pavement parking combine to create a real problem - limiting space for pedestrians and cyclists and making certain pavements simply inaccessible to those with accessibility requirements. This is absolutely an issue that I agree needs to be tackled. I believe that a year-on-year small reduction in parking spaces will result in improvement for everyone and that is a scheme that I support. Furthermore, I believe that limiting through traffic, particularly on Mill Road and Coldham Lane, would also work for this. It would make the streets less busy for cyclists, and therefore keeping the pavements free for pedestrians, increasing access for all.

I certainly would agree that this is an issue - particularly for disabled people, who may find such streets completely impassable. Providing more space for bike storage is necessary to facilitate more residents moving away from driving. The gradual restriction of on street parking is not something that I would be opposed to, if introduced after consultation with residents, and in a fair and transparent fashion.

I agree that this is an important issue and I am supportive of the policy paper for terraced streets. The levels of car parking make things difficult for pedestrians and cyclists. I would like to see a long term objective of ending pavement parking.

I think there where consultation has shown that there is support for this, we should absolutely move to get this done. The key thing here is of course to make sure that these schemes are done with the involvement of the local residential community - but where this is the case I would very keen to support this.

Yes I would be in favour of this in areas where consultation with local residents demonstrates that it is appropriate.

I think that dedicated cycle parking schemes that have been requested by and agreed with residents are an excellent initiative. The Thoday street scheme provides a good template.

The trial closure of streets such as Mill Road is something that I support in theory - however, we believe that the way the County Council and local Councillors approached the closure of the bridge has made it unnecessarily divisive. Councillor Ian Manning has provided a framework for analysing the changes over mill road which offers a more quantitative assessment for such schemes allowing their success to be properly assessed.

As I said, we support removing through traffic in theory, but it needs to be done in a way that brings people onside, that highlights the case for doing so, and without riding roughshod over the voices of opposition. That approach, as taken by the County Council, will simply result in a campaign to reopen Mill Road to through traffic, and create more division within the community.

Furthermore, there is a real opportunity with this scheme, if we manage to resolve the debate in a way that everyone feels satisfied, to make Mill Road more pedestrian friendly, through landscaping and street art. This could help make the road a real centre for the community going forward.

While we fundamentally believe in the benefits of traffic reduction and as such support trial closures of streets like Mill Road, the way that the closure was handled by the County Council and local Councillors has resulted in a significant backlash from residents. An evidence-based quantitative approach must now be used investigate the efficacy of the scheme, to evaluate any potential repercussions, and as a basis for generating ideas as to how it may be improved. Failure to engage with residents concerns will result in a counter-campaign to reverse the closure entirely.

Should the closure be made permanent, in its current form or a modified form that is broadly similar, the street would benefit from a redesign to reflect its new status, including landscaping, art installations, and seating space. Already a couple of businesses are making use of the space outside their shopfronts to provide outdoor seating, which is great to see.

It is important to trial schemes such as the closure of streets like Mill Road. However, the way that the closure was handled by the County Council and local Councillors has been very divisive and is the wrong model for this kind of initiative. An evidence-based quantitative approach to trialling has been outlined by Councillor Ian Manning. One the key points of this is to engage and consult with local residents and this needs to be done properly before making a final decision about permanent closure of the Mill Road bridge. I take the concerns of traders on Mill road very seriously and would like more information on the effect on other roads, such as Coldhams Lane, in terms of traffic levels and pollution to be made available.

Ultimately, my view is that Coldham's Lane at the moment is simply not functioning as the residential road that it is supposed to be. To that end, I think that what the road needs is a complete overhaul, with segregated cycle lanes and walking routes to ensure that pedestrians are kept safe, cyclists are kept off the pavement, and the road becomes safer for residents. In particular, if there could be designated cycle lanes through the Coldham's land roundabout to make crossing this easier for cyclists this would be a real step towards making cycling a better form of travel within Cambridge.

The approach of the council, to simply put out qualitative surveys about proposed schemes, creates division and does not provide suitable targets for a proposal's success. I, therefore, support a more quantitative framework as devised by Councillor Ian Manning, this provides a quantitative approach of assessing the effectiveness of any trialled traffic solutions which will ensure the that residents can better understand the decisions of the council.

Coldham's Lane is in need of serious attention. As a minimum, properly segregated and unobstructed cycle lanes and pedestrian paths are required, along with conveniently positioned crossings.

There is a need for dramatic improvement in the situation of Coldhams Lane generally and particularly the roundabout. This should be based on dialogue between the Council and the Residents Association. I would strongly support agreed implementation of segregated cycling lanes and walking routes. I also feel that the 30 mph speed limit is anomalous for a residential road and that this should be revisited with an intention of reducing it to 20 mph.

The issue of traffic is not one that is unique to Romsey but occurs throughout the city. Cambridge has a real opportunity, coming out of the pandemic, to be a model for how cities can manage traffic in a modern, safe, welcoming way.

I think the key is to encourage trials of traffic-reduction schemes. This can be through modal filters (which allow one form of traffic through, such as bicycles or buses, but not others) which could be installed on places like Coldham's Lane. Segregated cycle lanes, such as those running along Arbury Road, offer a safe route for cyclists to travel around the city. However, as before, we need to make sure that the methods we are using to assess the viability of these schemes is done in a transparent, more quantitative way, such that residents feel like they have some understanding of why changes are being made.

If we make cycling and walking friendlier, nicer, safer forms of travel, there will be less need for traffic to return in such quantities post-pandemic. Schemes such as those suggested above could allow us to have some genuine, positive change come out of this very unpleasant year.

Many car journeys within our city are not entirely necessary, and so I do agree with the introduction of targeted trial closures of specific roads and/or the reallocation of road space to pedestrians and cyclists. To support this, we need to refocus on providing excellent public transport, and making cycling around town a more attractive prospect for residents.

Many car journeys are not essential and alternatives must be made increasingly viable and attractive, through development of public transport, cycling and walking routes. As a Councillor I would regard transport issues as being of the highest importance in the coming years as we have to address climate and quality of life issues with urgency.

We need to promoting cycling throughout Cambridge. It is the easiest way in which this city, (and frankly this country) can take proper steps towards reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. During the pandemic, worldwide carbon dioxide emissions fell by over 6% as people stopped travelling. This is obviously only temporary, and as we emerge from the pandemic and start travelling again we need to be thinking seriously about how we can stop emissions from rising. Making sure that cycling is a safe and efficient way to travel is one of those methods.

Furthermore, cycling as a form of exercise can help people stay mobile and healthy. As I'm sure many readers will have experienced, the inactivity brought on by the pandemic and the rise of working from home has impacted our physical health, and also our mental health. More and more people cycling more and more regularly, will hopefully help keep people healthier and happier - as well as keeping our emissions low.

The evidence is unequivocal; cycling benefits human health both as a mode of exercise and indirectly through the reduction of cars, and thus the reduction of air pollutants. Smart city design that encourages safe and pleasant cycling has a huge role to play in combating climate change and in improving population health.

Cycling has a significant role to play in reducing CO2 emissions and pollution and increasing general health. I feel lucky in that I have a 15 minute commute by bike to work, which is cheap, good exercise and has a minimal environmental impact. It Is important to create conditions where cycling is a safe and attractive option for as many people as possible.

The main thing that deters people from cycling more, is a feeling of safety. We need to make sure that cyclists feel safer whilst using roads around Cambridge, which will encourage more people to cycle. Segregated cycle lanes, protected by kerbs or landscaping, are key to making sure that people - particularly those that don't feel that comfortable cycling at the moment - look to cycling as a way to get around. For many readers of this answer, you are presumably here because you already cycle around Cambridge, and obviously keeping you feeling safe is important. However, the crucial thing is encourage those that aren't already cycling, that this can be an option for them. And if we can create dedicated cycling spaces through Cambridge, then this will ensure that bicycles will not have to be on pavements to avoid cars, and this will help keep those walking feel safer as well.

By far the biggest barrier to more people cycling in my area is safety concerns, particularly for those who are new to cycling, or who haven't cycled on roads alongside traffic before. Properly maintained and sufficiently wide cycle lanes with kerb segregation go a long way to addressing this concern, but there is more that can be done. Road works frequently avoid the disruption of traffic at the expense of cycle lanes, forcing cyclists to merge with oncoming traffic, which can be very stressful and off-putting for those new to cycling.

Feeling safe is the key issue in encouraging cycling. We need protected, segregated, facilities, with kerb segregation being a minimum standard and to encourage people that currently are not walking and cycling. There need to be more protected walking and cycling routes and these need to be linked to provide safe access throughout the city.