ePetition details

Cambridge Local Plan Policy 80 states that:

"Development will be supported where it demonstrates that prioritisation of
access is by walking, cycling and public transport, and is accessible for all. This
will be achieved by:
...
b. supporting public transport, walking and cycling to, from and within a
development by:
...
1. giving priority to these modes where there is conflict with cars;
...
3. prioritising networks of public transport, pedestrian and cycle
movement so these are the best and safest means of moving around
Cambridge. Areas where public transport, pedestrian and cycle
movement is difficult or dangerous will be improved and, where
possible, have further capacity for these sustainable modes provided;
...
5. safeguarding existing and proposed routes for walking, cycling, and
public transport, including the Chisholm Trail, from development that
would prejudice their continued use and/or development."

This application does not meet the Local Plan requirements because it:

* fails to deliver a coherent, direct cycle route from Devonshire Road to the southern Busway cycle route, a central segment of the "Chisholm Trail", via the Cycle Point and station entrance,

* fails to prioritise sustainable transport because the design for the internal roadways gives better, more direct and higher priority access to motor vehicles for the station car park than for the cycle link from Devonshire Road end, and because there is no coherent Chisholm Trail cycle route across the Station Square,

* fails to fix the outstanding problems with highway safety in the Station Square and Great Northern Road,

* undermines efforts to reduce air pollution and congestion at this central location because the proposed multi-storey car park will attract car drivers from miles around the area and because the proposals still put 10,000 daily motor vehicle movements on Great Northern Road in front of people's homes.

We believe that it is wrong to construct a multi-storey car park at this location, and this application would be a missed opportunity to reduce congestion and pollution at this site. The station will be without this parking capacity for the period of the construction anyway, which simply demonstrates that it is unnecessary. The residents' parking schemes now in place on the east side of the railway, in conjunction with the long-established schemes on the west side, mean there are no issues with parking displacement. This application should be seen as an opportunity to reduce peak hour motor traffic and air pollution, in line with the council's goals to improve air quality and reduce congestion.

Instead of a multi-storey car park, the B2 structure should be re-designed to be an extension of the Cycle Point. The Train Operating Company Greater Anglia has a requirement in their Franchise Agreement to deliver an additional 1,000 cycle parking spaces at Cambridge by 2021; this development should be used to satisfy that commitment.

Instead of prioritising motor traffic along the Chisholm Trail, the design of the roadways should prioritise walking and cycling movements, and there should be a convenient, clear and safe cycling route north/south through the entire station complex, including between blocks B2/F2 and linking with the Cycle Point.

This ePetition ran from 03/12/2018 to 14/01/2019 and has now finished.

111 people signed this ePetition.