Agenda and minutes

Minutes agreed as accurate record. 

MD stated that the Cycle Cambridge programme has come to an end with only some minor items to complete including attending the Cambridge Town and Country Show and holding 3 Dust off Your Bike events.

Cllr Rosenstiel asked about the progress of the Cambridge Gateway the new road from the Hills Road/Brooklands Avenue junction to the station.  MD explained that this had not been a Cycle Cambridge project and details of the scheme should be obtained from the County Council Cambridge Gateway Team.

MD explained that the County Council, in partnership with the City Council, has been successful in its bid 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

Funding is for £370,000 over 3 years from the approval date of June 2011.  The partnership will work much as it did for the Cycle Cambridge project with the County Council being the lead authority.  The County Council have also made an allowance to fund the secondment of a Cambridge City Council Cycling and Walking officer to the project for 12 hours per week. This secondment is yet to be confirmed and will be considered as part of the Streets and Open Spaces Restructure.

The focus of the work will be promotion and innovative design. Sharing of best practice will also be a key element of the project with the opportunity for officers from the different authorities to visit schemes and advise on design.

MD outlined that the County Council has made a bid for £5m from the Department for Transports Local Sustainable Transport Fund and the outcome of the bid should be known around the end of June 2011.  The Local Sustainable Transport Fund will cover all forms of sustainable transport in Cambridgeshire including cycling and walking.  The bid has been made in co-ordination with the district councils and SUSTRANS.

AP explained that the total Joint Capital Cycle Fund for 2011/12 is £100,000 being a contribution of £50 000 each from the City and County Council.  Area committees will be approached for suggestions on possible cycle schemes in each area which will be prioritised according to a set criteria.

DB asked if existing schemes that have been suggested by local residents via the Cycle sorted website could be included and if the Cycle sorted website could be used as a resource for compiling suggestions from the area committees.  AP agreed to look into the Cycling Sorted website as a resource.

CR updated the group on the Perne Rd/Radegund Rd roundabout scheme.  The aim of the scheme is to significantly reduce vehicle speeds on the roundabout by reducing the circulatory width and radii on the entrances and exits. Hannah Reed had done an initial design based on Dutch style roundabouts. This design had the added benefit of making the crossing points much wider and safer for pedestrians.  They were now looking at an alternative option of including an off-road cycle route and the aim was to take a report to the next AJC for permission to consult.  This ties in well with the 2 Seas Bike Friendly Cities project, as colleagues from Holland as well as from the other partner countries could be involved in looking at the proposed design.

DB explained that the Downhams Lane project was going well and that the County Rights of Way team were in the process of agreeing formal consent to adopt the route as a restricted byway from Cambridge University and RANC Care Homes. The City Cycling and Walking Officer had secured informal agreements so no objection to the adoption was foreseen.  Formal consent is required to allow the work to commence. The improved route between Milton Road and Hawkins Road will be restricted for pedestrians and cyclists only.

MD stated the Cambridge to Southend Cam to Coast British Heart Foundation charity cycle ride on 26^th March was a success and will be repeated. There are also plans to organise a very large cycle ride within Cambridge that will be organised in conjunction with Cambridge Evening News. Also a short length of a new road surface material will be tested on Grange Road in late June.

Cllr Ward noted the Terms of Reference states that the review of cycling aspects of planning documents, including Area Action Plans, masterplans and planning applications is part of the group remit and asked if this had happened at previous meetings.  DB confirmed that it had and that planning issues could be on the group agenda as they arise.

Cllr Wright stated that she felt safety measures for cyclist were more important than the promotion of cycling.  MD stated that the Dutch, with high levels of cycling, still find it important to promote cycling and promotion is particularly important with the influx of new residents from the large new developments in Cambridge. Cllr Ward stated that Cambridge also has a large number of new students each year and therefore promotion was an ongoing benefit. All acknowledge that safety measures were still of importance.

Cllr Al Bander asked if cycling and walking issues were taken to the Disability Panel.  DB stated that specific planning issues had been taken there by Cycling and Walking officers and that the City Council Access officer attended the Disability Panel raising relevant matters arising to the Cycling and Walking Liaison Group.  CJR added that Camsight are represented at the Cycling and Walking Liaison Group.