Dear Sirs,

FDPC Survey Response for GCP-Newmarket-Road-23

Further to our response in our earlier letters of 3/8/2020 and 18 Dec 2020 which contain many points that still apply, please find below our response to the above consultation.

As we have said before, FDPC supports the concept of improving the public transport and active travel system in Cambridge because we expect it should lead to a reduction in road traffic through our community, including Marleigh, as well as environmental and health benefits here and across the city. We agree with your aim to reduce congestion and improving air quality. However, we think it is important that conditions for motorists should be improved where possible and do not deteriorate where this is avoidable. The consultation documents do not give any information as to how travel loads and modes are on predicted to change on Newmarket Road and what effect the proposals are expected to have on traffic along High Ditch Road, Ditton Lane and through residential areas of Abbey Ward. The absence of this information is a major concern for us and our residents.

We are generally concerned about the reallocation of space to alternatives to the private car for floating bus stops etc. In previous consultations, we have heard discussions about re-phasing of traffic lights and getting traffic to flow along Newmarket Road but this approach appears to have been quietly dropped. The above reallocation will create further congestion and delays for cars and therefore increased pollution. If the intention is to get traffic moving as well as facilitating buses, rephasing of traffic lights is a much cheaper and more effective solution. The current proposals will not appear to do this but propose interventions at a much greater cost ignoring options for people to walk and cycle along much better routes for those users that exist as an alternative – either along the River via the various meadows and commons and riverside, or along the new Chisholm trail. Millions have been spent and therefore it seems odd that you are proposing more space on parts of Newmarket Road to duplicate this route at significant cost.

Another issue is the extent to which mainly safety related proposals for cyclists on existing road corridors should be implemented if this does not promote the use of existing cycleways or those already planned for completion in the short term future. We draw attention to how few cyclists and no pedestrians use the southbound side of Ditton Lane next to the cemetery because there are much better options/alternative routes.

We suggest it might be helpful if Drawing Preliminary Design Sheet 3 of 7 was corrected to show the true scope of the Phase 1 of the Chisholm Trail. The brochure is also simplistic in that it misses out the connection between Cycleways 11/51 and Phase 1 of the Chisholm Trail – see below.

LINK MISSING ON BROCHURE

These errors matter because firstly, these routes largely avoid the need for many cyclists to use the Newmarket Rd between the P&R and the railway. Secondly there is already some connection from either direction into Garlic Row whereas you propose an extra toucan crossing east of the Railway bridge – a section where the north pavement is used bi-directionally (which may well have scope for further improvement). Thirdly, the Chisholm underpass by the Leper Chapel reduces the need to use the existing controlled crossing on Newmarket Road which in turn should ease the passage of buses, cars etc especially if the phasing of the lights is suitably altered. Your proposal to widen the existing Toucan crossing may actually mitigate against non-vehicle users travelling east-west from using the underpass.

The proposed CYCLOPS / Dutch style roundabout at Barnwell/Newmarket Road (McDonalds) roundabout is a concern. The same is proposed at the other end at Elizabeth Avenue/East Road/Newmarket Road. What is the experience in Cambridge in terms of extra capacity or delay for a car driver, cyclist or pedestrian/runner? Are they dangerous? How would Barnwell cope with McDonalds traffic and football crowds/parking? The present arrangement has pedestrian controlled crossings with central fenced waiting areas on 2 sides of the junction so might the CYCLOPS element of the crossing on Newmarket Rd west of the roundabout be omitted and so improve the functioning of the system for buses and cars? Might bi-directional use on a separate path on the on the south side of Newmarket Rd be a better option east of Ditton Lane. There appears to be limited use of the north side footpath at present since good alternatives exist.

Further to our previous detailed suggestions about potential improvements, we fully support the extension of the 30 mph zone to a point east of Marleigh.

We previously noted that measures to stop traffic backing up from MacDonalds onto Barnwell roundabout might help and, west of the railway, the opening of the junction into Tesco seemed to result in much more congestion than was there before. The problem appears to stem from the extra phases in the traffic lights and is especially noticeable on Sunday mornings. We would fully support improvements to the traffic lights if this meant they were better matched to demands at different times of day and days of the week and decreased congestion. Please consider if all three junctions into Cambridge Retail Park should have both eastbound and westbound connections with Newmarket Road. Removal of one or two turning movements should help traffic flow on Newmarket Road.

We do not object to some other elements proposed but are concerned about the absence of proposals to improve the capacity of Quy/A14 junction.

The second issue raised in this consultation is the P&R. Our concern is that the rationale for the proposed site 01 on the Green Belt is predicated on the existing P&R becoming unusable before the Airport is due to close, negating site 06, and, options north of the A14 are unsatisfactory for buses and cyclists because of the Quy junction. We suggest the P&R issue is put on hold until both propositions have been investigated more thoroughly.

We hope that the issues we raise will be taken into account and we would be happy to answer any queries you may have about our comments.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Charles Jones

Pp Sarah Smart;

Parish Clerk

Fen Ditton Parish Council

email: clerk@fenditton-pc.org.uk

C/C Councillor Anna Bradman CCC

Councillor Claire Daunton CCC

Councillor Graham Cone SCDC

Councillor Carla Hofman SCDC