Agenda and minutes

1. Apologies – Mike Davies.

2. Minutes of the last meeting Wednesday 28^th September 2016 and matters arising.

Minutes agreed.

DA was welcomed as the new Lib Dem representative on the Group for this municipal year.

MS requested that the next meeting include a presentation on regulations related to cycling on pavements.

3. Palmer’s Walk – update (AF)

A total of 62 responses were received following the re-consultation in September/October 2016. This was 3 times more than the original August 2015 consultation. On the question of the proposed widening, 41% of respondents supported the proposal to widen the footpath in some form, although 59% supported the option to maintain the current path width of 1.2 metres. These results were taken to East Area Committee 12^th January.

On the separate question of whether there should be a cycling ban on Palmer’s Walk, 59 responses were received with 46 (or 78%) supporting the proposal for a ban.

LW made a brief statement to the Group urging it to support the erection of a ‘no cycling’ sign on Palmer’s Walk similar to those currently in use on Christ’s Pieces and which according to LW are effective. If cycle traffic is removed she stated that there would therefore be no justification for the widening of the path and that this proposal in the view of the majority of residents should be abandoned. LW asked for an assurance that any future proposal to change the width of Palmer’s Walk footpath would be the subject of public consultation.

NB: Following the meeting the Chair gave this assurance.

MS highlighted the need for consistency in signage across all the open spaces instead of an ad hoc approach and that in his view, there was some doubt that the erection of this sign in isolation would be effective. The cost of widening the path would likely be more than the original £20,000 estimated in 2015 according to JR but a detailed estimated cost had not yet been carried out.

KB reported that East Area Committee Members were happy for the Group to point the way forward regarding this situation. The issue of whether cycling should be prohibited was discussed but this issue was outside the context of the consultation. MS suggested re-visiting the cycling issue again; approaching it holistically with input from ARU, whereas DA stated that he would support the widening of the path but that this should include segregation in order that cycling in a city such as Cambridge is encouraged.

RECOMMENDATION: The Palmer’s Walk footpath to remain unchanged to reflect the majority of views recorded by the 2016 re-consultation.

The separate issue of prohibiting cycling along the footpath to be revisited later in the year.

4. Promotion grant funding

Although the total amount being sought by applicants amounts to £27,000, the Group were informed that only £5,020 remained in the budget following the cycle parking audit and the re-printing of the City Cycle Map which is badly in need of updating.

KB stressed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1X/15/MCPSG