Agenda and minutes

Cllr Wright stated in relation to item 2 that some residents, particularly older residents were having difficulties using the upgraded Newmarket Road /Abbey Road Toucan crossing. The previous crossing was in two stages but with a very narrow island, making it dangerous for those with bicycles, pushchairs and wheelchairs and so a one-stage crossing was installed with near side signals (puffin).  The crossing is over 4 lanes of traffic and so islands were put in with push buttons to allow those who are very slow to cross to stop in the middle if necessary.  MW explained that some users felt very vulnerable when the bleeping signal stopped and they were still on the crossing and felt that the crossing time should be increased. After discussions and a site visit with the County signals team it was agreed to add another second to the crossing beep but MW felt this was not sufficient and that the explanatory leaflet produced by the DfT was inadequate.

 

CJR stated that it was DfT guidance and County policy to replace far sided signal crossings (Pelicans) with puffins and that one stage crossings were generally much preferred by pedestrians and cyclists.   Cllr Rosenstiel stated the public does not understand the crossing but the removal of the previous small island is an improvement.  It was felt that more information was needed for residents, in particular that a sensor on the crossing keeps the lights on red for cars after the bleeping stops if there is someone still on the crossing.       

 

Action: Officers to explore ways in which residents can be informed of how the near-sided crossings work, particularly wider crossings. 

MD gave an update on Cycle Cambridge schemes including:

 

Hills Road Bridge scheme near completion and will cater for future junction design and will be assessed once completed.  Improved cycle lanes on Hills Road have been completed.

 

Work to mark out cycle lanes on Gilbert Road has commenced but the new no waiting restrictions with double yellow lines will not be marked out and enforceable until early in the New Year.

 

Work on the Tins path will commence in January 2011 increasing the shared path to 4m and the bridge across the brook at Burnside to 3m.

 

Work to widen the path and install a second cattle grid on New Bit has been completed. The path from New Bit to Lammas Land Bridge has also been resurfaced.

 

A consultation for the pedestrian/cycle scheme on the route from Orchard Park to Riverside has begun.

 

The construction of a new cycle path from Sawston to Whittlesford and Babraham has been completed.

 

Work on the Madingley Road scheme has begun with the section of widened path from Queens Road to Storeys Way completed.

 

Works to improve the route in Cherry Hinton from the Robin Hood pub to Perne Road, a combined off road shared path and on road cycle lanes, has commenced

 

Hills Rd approved resurfacing of the cycle lanes from the Catholic Church to Brooklands Ave to be undertaken shortly.

 

The new off road cycle route beside Babraham Road to Wandlebury is completed.

 

The Cycle Challenge will be repeated in March 2011 and this time Cambridge will be competing with York.

 

There will be a Cambridge to Southend British Heart Foundation charity cycle ride on 26^th March.

 

MD also outlined that the Department for Transport had announced there will be funds made available from March 2011 from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund that individual authorities will need to make bids towards. The details of match funding were unclear but MD would give further details of the LSTF at the next meeting.

 

CJR explained that the County Council, in partnership with the City Council, was bidding for funds from the European Two Seas Project for cycle related schemes under the banner of Bike Friendly Cities. The bid is a partnership between cities in the UK, Belgium, Holland and France, led by Middleburg in Holland.  The city partners are:

 

·        Middleburg

·        Kontrijk – Mobeil (a social enterprise running cycle hire/repair/cycle parks)

·        Boulogne sur Mer – local authority

·        Southend  - Borough Council

·        Sustrans – Bike it

·        Cambridge – County Council in partnership with the City Council

 

A Middleburg consultant is writing the bid to be submitted by January 2011.

£3 million is available to be split between partners that will need to be match funded. Funding is for 3 years from the approval date (likely to be June 2011).

 

It is envisaged that the partnership would work much as it does for the Cycle Cambridge project with the County Council being the lead authority. City Council staff hours towards the project could be funded with joint working on events etc.

 

The project would:

 

·                    Explore possibilities for cycle hubs

·                    Implement 20 mph zones

·                    Low cost/innovative solutions to complete gaps in the network in and around Cambridge

 

It would also involve the sharing of best practice, for example, Dutch engineers could advise on how to make Cambridge’s roundabouts more cycle-friendly.

 

DB explained that Outspoken cycle couriers, representing Cycle Cambridge, held ‘Dust Off Your Bike’ sessions at Long Road and Hills Road Sixth form colleges with the following results:

 

·                    Hills Road: 35 bikes fixed, 47 sets of lights sold, 44 Level 2 sign-ups for training.

 

·                    Long Road: 39 bikes fixed, 17 sets of lights sold, 23 Level 2 sign-ups

 

 

 Cambridge City Radio

Cllr Al Bander explained that he would be presenting a weekly 15 minute slot called City Life on Cambridge City Radio from the 1st December on Thursdays between 8pm and 9pm where he would be able to advertise any cycling initiatives and promotions and would welcome items from the group.

 

Gritting

 

Cllr Blair asked for clarification on which cycle routes will be gritted this winter with emphasis that Riverside was a particular problem last winter for cyclists.

 

CJR stated that the Cycling Liaison Group compiled a list of priority cycle routes, which should be gritted and that Riverside was included on this list.  The County Cycling Officer, Patrick Joyce had then drawn up a map highlighting these priority routes but it was not known, as yet, whether all these were included in the agreed gritting schedule.  MD stated a special surface had been put on the entrances to the Riverside bridge that, once salted, had long lasting anti-slip properties.

 

Action: MD to seek clarification to be shared with the group regarding gritting policy and routes to be gritted