Elections

Cambridge City Council elections, May 2022: Castle

Summary: Elections to Cambridge City Council, May 2022
Polling date: Thursday 5th May 2022
Ward:
Candidates
(by surname):
  • James APPIAH  (Conservative Party)
  • James MURRAY-WHITE  (Green Party)
  • Simon SMITH  (Labour Party)
  • Caroline STODDART  (Liberal Democrat)

Questions for Castle ward candidates (8 questions)

Jump to question:  1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 

# Question 1

Residents of Canterbury Street have called for a modal filter on their street. What measures to encourage active travel would you like to see in this area?

James APPIAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
James MURRAY-WHITE
(Green Party)

Fully support residential streets to prioritise active transport and Canterbury Street certainly needs an end to rat-running of traffic through the residential streets. However, this has to be implemented as part of the bigger picture to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality and safety in Cambridge.
Currently there is a lack of leadership and commitment on the Cambridgeshire County Council and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to implement transport measures which will reduce individual car use commuting into Cambridge. We need at the very least a workplace levy.
There are two examples of traffic-calming projects in Castle. Whilst supporting the improved safety for cyclists and particularly children and young people on their way to school and college, the closure of Storey’s Way to through traffic has resulted in rat-running through Eddington, the University’s sustainable development. This was planned to be virtually car-free.
The Oxford/Windsor Road traffic-calming scheme unfortunately does not give priority to cyclists, despite it being on the county cycle network and the authorities omitted to consult Cam Cycle as well as overlooking design principles. It seems regressive to be installing speed bumps when cyclists with trailers are having to navigate these. The car remains at the forefront in the mindset of the highway designers.
We are not happy with the definition of arterial routes unless traffic is significantly reduced and flexible, reliable and reasonably priced bus services provided. What is happening is that the road closures are displacing traffic elsewhere which is increasing congestion and air pollution as car engines idle.

Simon SMITH
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Caroline STODDART
(Liberal Democrat)

Our residents survey last year addressed this question, and we shared the residents' response with the Highways Officers. Importantly, they concluded that the modal filter could prevent or delay emergency vehicles getting through, and other larger service vehicles would get stuck. Together with the Residents' association we prepared and submitted a LHI bid for alterations that would narrow the junction, insert a speed cushion and add in yellow lines that could reduce traffic. However, a review should be conducted after construction to assess how well this works.
The traffic issues of the triangle area need to be effective over the whole area, as well as the neighbouring streets in Oxford and Windsor Roads is being implemented at the moment. It will be important that we carefully evaluate the impact of these new measures across the whole area to ensure the interconnected road network here works well for everybody. Overall we want to promote a much more detailed assessment of the area that could include one-ways systems in parts of the area that would reduce traffic and promote safer cycling and walking.

# Question 2

There have recently been proposals to modify the Windsor Road modal filter. What changes, if any, would you support here to encourage safer and more walking and cycling?

James APPIAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
James MURRAY-WHITE
(Green Party)

The traffic-calming of Windsor/Oxford Roads and the link with the cycling/pedestrian passage from Warwick Road to Windsor Road has been in the pipeline for a decade. It is regrettable that priority has not been given to cyclists and pedestrians as the route along Oxford Road is on the County Cycle network. The design continues to make cyclists subservient to vehicle road users. This is despite the increased use by cyclists as Oxford Road serves range of cyclists: nursery/primary/secondary schools and sixth form colleges, connects to the science park via King’s Hedges road and the West Cambridge site via Madingley Road. There has been an historic problem with the width of the passageway linking Warwick Road and Windsor Road which prevents formal segregated lanes through the passageway. It is an important cycling link which must be retained.

Simon SMITH
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Caroline STODDART
(Liberal Democrat)

The traffic calming measures are being added to Windsor and Oxford road now. While it remains to be seen whether this will reduce the "rat-run" effect through these streets Windsor Road is part of a network of streets and interconnected routes that need more detailed and effective assessment. I think it may be good to consider a partly One Way route for traffic to prevent the rat-run, while at the same time creating space for dedicated cycling lanes and walking routes to promote walking and cycling through the area, especially for children accessing Mayyfield Primary School.

# Question 3

As ownership of electric vehicles increases, councillors must decide how to provide infrastructure for EV charging. Recently there have been proposals to place EV charging points on the pavement causing obstructions on already limited pedestrian space. How will you ensure EV charging can be provided without impacting on other users of the public highway?

James APPIAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
James MURRAY-WHITE
(Green Party)

Let’s have a coherent plan for the city, rather than piecemeal installations of street furniture which clutters and confuses.

Are we moving to a reduction in individual car-ownership? If so, EV charging points need to be located on the public highway with the potential loss of residential parking bays. Alongside the EV charging points, I would recommend that the e-scooters and electric bikes for hire be placed in racks with integral charging points. It is not acceptable to have public hire scooters and bikes strewn across pavements impeding access and creating trip hazards.

I realise one of the problems is that EV chargers are not standardised and lack of compatibility may require different types of chargers to be available which will result in more street space being required.

When installing we need to specify permeable paving and greening of the areas as this would be an opportunity to improve surface water drainage and prevent urban flooding.

Simon SMITH
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Caroline STODDART
(Liberal Democrat)

We have concerns over where points might be placed, and want to ensure they do not block or clutter the pavements or cycle routes, but it is clear that dedicated bays could be a solution to this question. Some street lights also could provide points, and this is one clear issue where one way street movement for cars would benefit wider street space enabling charging.

# Question 4

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Road Safety Partnership (now the Vision Zero Partnership) aimed to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries to cyclists by 40% between 2015 and 2020, but it actually rose 2% during that time. Too many people are being hurt on our roads.

What do you think would most improve safety for people walking, cycling, using mobility aids and riding horses on the roads in your area? Which routes and junctions need the most urgent improvement?

James APPIAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
James MURRAY-WHITE
(Green Party)

The statistics are shocking and I have witnessed countless near misses on the corner of Oxford Road and Huntingdon Road because of the congestion at peak times: a junction with vehicles turning right, left and then into the road over cycle paths and close to a bus stop and tiger crossing.
A reduction in vehicles as the mix of transport now on the roads at peak time is hazardous. I commend CamCycle on the junction campaign. 4x4 vehicles/vans with high wing mirrors do not see primary school children on little bikes in the cycle lane. It is treacherous.
Reduce licenced taxis which park and turn in cycle lanes. Fix potholes, unstable draincovers, ridges in the tarmac. Sort out the traffic light delays at the junction of Huntingdon/Histon/Victoria Roads and at Castle Hill/Chesterton Lane. The delays are so great that cyclists/scooters are tempted to go through the lights.
Urgent action to ensure cycling safety needs to occur outside Hills Road Sixth Form college from Brooklands Avenue over the bridge and the lights. The road surface on the section towards station road is terrible for cyclists. Other areas where the road surface needs attention: Mitcham’s corner, Victoria Avenue, Windsor Road junction with Histon Road.

Simon SMITH
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Caroline STODDART
(Liberal Democrat)

The goals of Vision zero urgently need effective policy interventions to achieve the goals. LibDems in Cambridge brought in the 20MPH speed limits in parts of the city in 2014, and there are moves to expand these restrictions in close consultation with local communities. We also believe the GCPs making connections goal to reduce car journeys will support Vision Zero.
More generally, on safety there are issues over signage that specifically advises cyclists in a city where many cyclists are visitors and from overseas about access or non-access to streets. One way streets, such as Sydney St for example, need clear information to prevent hazardous collisions with buses. There needs to be more provision throughout the city and its approaches to segregate pedestrians and cyclists from vehicles through embracing the LTN/120 government guidance in all design of new infrastructure.
Many residents in Castle comment on issues of the fast "scooter" bike substitutes (food delivery) that speed along pavements, paths and green spaces causing danger to pedestrians and cyclists. Clarification on the status of such bikes is needed.
Routes in Castle that need attention are the narrow footpaths along Madingley Rd west of the Observatory Drive area, which between steep banks causes bottlenecks between cyclists and pedestrians who now use the route to access Eddington. This path was to be improved as part of the proposed new bus routes, but so far has been delayed. There needs to be improvement to the cuts through between Windsor and Richmond and Warwick roads to enable mobility scooters and cargo bikes easier passage, and likewise, the roads that open onto Huntingdon Rd such as Halifax Rd need better visibility for both cyclists and car drivers currently inhibited by the parking bays.

# Question 5

Cambridgeshire County Council’s draft Active Travel Strategy says that our region’s transport network must put public health at its core. It points out that almost a third of 10 and 11 year olds in Cambridgeshire are obese and rates of cycling and walking are lowest among the over 40s.

What role do you think cycling can play in improving local residents’ health and wellbeing? What specific changes are needed to help the youngest and oldest residents in your area choose active modes, including walking, for more journeys?

James APPIAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
James MURRAY-WHITE
(Green Party)

Castle has a high cycling population and it would be interesting to learn of the statistics in relation to air quality and impact on asthma as young people cycle through congested traffic with idling cars. I commend the cycling population who navigate the many hazards in all weathers. I am also aware of over 40’s regularly using bikes, e-scooters and electric bikes.Safety and implementation of dedicated cycle routes would make a huge difference in Castle. We need the orbital cycle route on the perimeter of the Darwin Green development linking Eddington and Histon Road. We need the cycle route across Darwin Green into Windsor Road to be installed. We need improvements to the cycle route along Madingley Road and safe links along the Huntingdon Road near Girton college onto the new cycle path to Dry Drayton. The gaps in these routes are not for the faint-hearted. £10M spent on road improvements to the Histon Road, but the section linking King’s Hedges and the roundabout onto the A14 is not cycle-friendly despite many valiant cyclists of all ages braving the crossings.An example of a much-used and excellent cycle route is the Coton footpath which routes over the M11 into Wilberforce Road.

Simon SMITH
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Caroline STODDART
(Liberal Democrat)

Cycling participation, for those who are able, has the capacity to much improve health. Increasing safety in cycle usage is key. We support the GCP’s investment in cycling provision, both through schemes dedicated mainly to cycling (Chisholm Trail, cross city cycling schemes, Greenways and future Cycling Plus) and through the incorporation of more generous and dedicated cycling provision in wider projects such as Milton and Histon Roads and the future radial busway projects. We are proud that much of the funding for these developments has come from the City Deal negotiated from central government by the city council when under Lib Dem control. Contingent on local consultation, we also support many of the low traffic neighbourhood schemes across the city, which provide the calmer street environment which is more conducive to starting to cycle from home. More of these may become possible if policy is adopted across the whole city to discourage car journeys. In planning we want to see new developments designed around low usage of motor vehicles and incorporation of domestic provision for cycles as a norm. From the Castle Ward area, it is clear that safe routes, many away from roads need to play a major role in promoting cycling amongst more reluctant parts of the community (eg linking new development in Darwin Green), and the university estate has clearly helped in this, with access from Storeys Way to Eddington and the NW Cambridge site to Newham and Coton. However we would want to promote much more connectivity that ensures these routes are safely linked, and also properly maintained. One major disincentive to cycling is the dreadful state of roads and paths and cycleways that have not been repaired or maintained. Overgrown hedges and banks prevent the full safe use of the routes, and regular maintenance must be introduced. Many inexperienced cyclists feel vulnerable when confronted by deep potholes, rough surfaces and poor lighting. One horrid example is on the broad foot-cycle path along Madingley Road, between Lucy Cavendish college and Churchill College where successive interventions by utilities have cut the pavement so densely that deep tramlines cause hazards to cyclists. Such issues are commonplace across the city, and there could be far better monitoring and reporting by council to ensure such dangers are repaired promptly.

# Question 6

In June 2021, the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority agreed to act on the Independent Commission on Climate’s recommendation to reduce car miles driven in the region by 15% by 2030.

Suggested actions needed to achieve this goal include installing safe cycle routes from new developments, working with employers to increase uptake in sustainable options for commuting, improving existing cycle infrastructure and encouraging the use of e-bikes. What changes do you think are needed to help people in your area reduce car mileage?

James APPIAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
James MURRAY-WHITE
(Green Party)

Agree improvements needed to the cycle routes on new developments and also the junctions and connections to ensure the routes are seamless and safe. Company e-bikes with parking stations and recharging points and lockers/shower provision in the workplace would help. One of the problems is the seasonable nature of cycling and the multiple drop-offs families make in a car: nursery, school, workplace. We need flexible public transport options which serve the complex daily lives of commuters. Enterprise car hire is an option so that residents consider hiring cars for their journeys rather than individuals owning private cars.

Simon SMITH
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Caroline STODDART
(Liberal Democrat)

All these suggestions are important. In Castle Ward the introduction of residents parking, lines on roads, limited access etc had helped to deter commuters parking in residential roads.
This kind of improvement needs supporting in the bigger picture by a transformation of public transport, which is only feasible both through funding for a bigger bus network operating over longer hours, with more frequency and more inclusive ticket pricing and measures to reduce the current congestion which prevents their efficiency. This is the agenda which the GCP’s ‘Making Connections’ is working on, which we support. The removal of the Citi5 bus that passed along Huntingdon Road is much missed by residents who now cannot access the station or Addenbrookes without changing buses. There is no bus connection from Huntingdon Rd through to the supermarket at Eddington (and perhaps connecting with the useful Uni1 bus) and some elderly residents in Castle would prefer to shop locally there, but cannot without taking a car. Such issues need to be addressed to enable public transport for those that really need it to be in place along the key routes, and to be effectively coordinated and linked. In Castle Ward we also need to open up better routes for new residents in Darwin Green to Windsor Rd, that enable good connectivity with other green routes and cycle routes, such as Storeys Way-Eddington-Coton and beyond.

# Question 7

National charity Cycling UK's manifesto for English elections includes the following asks:

1: Create safe space for cycling: put the delivery of a connected network of routes at the heart of transport and development plans;

2: Improve delivery: ensure schemes meet the government’s cycle design standards laid out in LTN 1/20 and the Gear Change policy;

3: Make neighbourhoods more attractive for cycling & people: for example, by making 20mph the default for residential and shopping streets, and increasing secure cycle parking;

4: Enable rural & urban communities to cycle: integrate cycling and walking with public transport, make cycle training available for all and improve access to local green space.

Will you support this manifesto? What policies would you champion in your area to increase levels of walking and cycling?

James APPIAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
James MURRAY-WHITE
(Green Party)

Agreed. For Castle we need the route along the Madingley Road to be improved and as already mentioned junctions and routes to be seamless, rather than ending abruptly and the cyclist finding themselves at a major road junction feeling vunerable, e.g. Histon Road onto King’s Hedges or the Histon Road roundabout.
Definitely need to improve delivery as the Oxford/Windsor/Warwick traffic-calming scheme overlooked the government’s cycle design standards and is now paused which probably wastes funds allocated for the scheme as well.
Eddington is an example of the planning being clear that Eddington Avenue and the area outside the school was to be pedestrian and cycling with public transport only. The internal management, Portal, have permitted rat-running through the bollards and it is no longer a safe environment for cyclists, nor pedestrians with consequent reduced air quality

Simon SMITH
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Caroline STODDART
(Liberal Democrat)

Such goals are entirely in line with my own, and indeed as a long term Cambridge cyclist of some 45 years, now with an ebike I support the manifesto.

# Question 8

What is your personal experience of walking and cycling in your area? What barriers do you think local people face that may prevent them from choosing active travel for everyday journeys?

James APPIAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
James MURRAY-WHITE
(Green Party)

Overall, Castle is moving in the right direction to encourage cycling. Road surfaces are a problem: Windsor/Histon Road junction potholes dreadful. The corner outside the shops at this junction towards Aldi remains neglected with cars parking on the pavement which is unsafe mix with pedestrians and cyclists.
Junction at Oxford/Huntingdon Roads very dangerous for cyclists with the congested mix of transport, maneouvres in and out of Oxford Road alongside the tiger crossing and the floating bus stop. The pinchpoint on Storey’s Way and the meeting of the cycle route from Eddington with the slope needs to be resolved. Shelly Row/Mount Pleasant/Lady Margaret Road are dominated by cars. There needs to be improvements to priority for cyclists here. Castle Hill lights at Chesterton Lane are delayed for too long and there is potential for people to disregard the lights. I have seen a passenger open a door and get out of their car knocking a cyclist with the car door as the cyclist legitimately travelled downhill. Scooters and Deliveroo vehicles weave in and out at speed causing hazards at times. Cyclists need access to an incident reporting system which logs close misses, injuries which are currently going unreported

Simon SMITH
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Caroline STODDART
(Liberal Democrat)

I always cycle when possible, but there are many barriers for others, including the sense of safety on the roads, safe and plentiful cycle parks, fully overseen by cameras to prevent theft (eg the dreadful station bike park!), sufficient street lighting to be safe and seen, safe road and path surfaces, and also the fear of being hit by some racing cyclists, head down goggles on, earphones in - who simply mow down any opposition on narrow cycle paths. Camcycle might help to advise and deter such behaviours of timed racing that does occur amongst a small cohort of the cycling community to ensure all users feel safe.

Camcycle is a non-partisan body. All candidates are given an equal opportunity to submit their views. Information published by Camcycle (Cambridge Cycling Campaign), The Bike Depot, 140 Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0DL.