Author: chris

New proposals would see the middle section of Station Road closed to motor vehicles travelling south. County Councillor Ros Hathorn urges residents to have their say in a public consultation.

The pandemic gave us a glimpse of living in a low traffic world; families walking and cycling around the village, empty roads, low levels of traffic noise, parents more relaxed on the streets. The village felt calmer and shopping locally by bike felt good.

I was not the only one to notice the change. Confronted with the twin perils of a national health crisis and the climate emergency the government is encouraging active travel, announcing ‘PM kickstarts £2bn cycling and walking revolution’

Among the schemes proposed – all funded by central government – is one for Histon & Impington, and a consultation is running so please get involved and share your thoughts.

The scheme

The section of Station Road after the Baptist church towards Firs House surgery is narrow and is normally lined with parked cars. Under the proposed scheme ‘modal filters’ will be placed on Station Road near the War Memorial/ Baptist church, and this stretch of road, by The Geographer and Firs House Surgery, will become a no through road to southbound motor vehicles.

Cyclists, pedestrians, mobility scooter users etc will have full access, but motorists travelling south through the village from the High Street will have to detour along Bridge Road (B1049) to access this middle part of Station Road and those travelling from the south to the High Street will also, instead, have to use the B1049.  There will, however, be full access to this stretch for all vehicles from the Chequers Road/ Firs House surgery end.

‘Modal filters’ determine the types of traffic that can access a stretch of road, but are designed not to impact on emergency services access. They are positioned so that bikes, cargo bikes etc can get round them, but the road is blocked for cars and other motor vehicles. In Cambridge, some schemes use large planters for this. The Bell Hill trial has used a water filled barrier which is less attractive, but cheap and good for trialling changes. The proposals here are for a barrier on both lanes of Station Road in line with the Baptist Church car park with a water filled barrier (like on Bell Hill) blocking the southbound lane which is removable for emergency access and a barrier to stop cars and vans on the northbound lane.   

The consultation points out that the bus stops outside the Baptist church will be lost under this scheme, and this is a downside of the proposal. If the modal filter was a camera the bus stops might be saved as it would allow bus access to continue, but this option is expensive so the consultation is important for gathering views. The loss of this bus stop is a concern and, if you think this is important, please add your voice to the request for a camera modal filter – or just express clearly how important you feel this bus stop is.

Safer, quicker, easier

This is not a ‘traffic scheme’, but an active travel scheme that will encourage our community to be people focussed rather than car focussed, and support people to cycle or walk.

Although it will make some car and van journeys slightly longer, it will make active travel more attractive and the easier, quicker, choice for those who can walk and cycle. For those who rely on a car, low traffic environments are also safer as there are fewer other cars.

Despite the infant school relocation, Station Road remains a key school route and safety is a major concern. Those cycling north towards the High Street meet a stream of drivers coming towards them, and high traffic levels at the Cambridge Road/ Bridge Road junction by the camel sculpture junction confirm that large numbers of drivers use that route as a rat run.

For drivers on the High Street turning right at Station Road currently presents an attractive alternative to waiting for the zebra crossing and queuing at the traffic lights to join the B1049. By turning into Station Road those cars are driving head on into the flow of families cycling and walking to school. There is not enough room for cars to safely pass cyclists but they regularly try and there are many reports from parents on social media and in conversation about near misses on Station Road.

This proposed scheme will make Station Road a significantly less attractive rat run as drivers would have to join the busy traffic on Water Lane/B1049 at the war memorial junction from an uncontrolled crossing, which can be difficult.

Wider impact

There are concerns that this proposal would push more traffic onto the B1049 and make other places busier, but previous road closures suggest this may not make a significant difference. The B1049/ High Street junction was closed for a number of weeks 2 years ago when the junction was modified. Whilst there were initially traffic jams at peak times, after about 3 days the traffic jams disappeared. It seemed as though those using Histon and Impington as a cut-through found alternative routes when Histon and Impington became less convenient.

There are also implication for residents. Traffic noise will drop and the area would feel a lot calmer, so parents should feel more confident about their children moving freely in the space. Residents will, though, have to drive further to access the centre of the village.

For wheelchair users, mobility scooter users and those with mobility issues, these measures should make this stretch a more pleasant accessible space to move around. If crossing the road is challenging – for example with a large buggy or if you move slowly – it is easier in a low traffic environment. On the downside, some disabled drivers will have to drive slightly further.

Neighbourhood plan

The neighbourhood plan was recently voted through with over 90% of voters in favour. A community where people walked and cycled locally was a key theme. The shift to active travel will not just magically happen, we need to restructure where we live. Our spaces must be people not car focussed.

On this basis, my assessment is that the positives significantly outweigh the negatives:

• Station Road Dental surgery – no negative impact
• Firs House Doctors surgery – no negative impact
• Pharmacy – possibly some impact, but trade is closely connected to prescriptions from Firs House
• The Geographer (sadly now closed) was always largely used by locals. Whilst there may be some impact on passing trade, these changes would also create new opportunities. The outside area was always well used and there may be an opportunity to spread tables further onto the road in a low traffic environment.

If you have strong feelings about this proposal please comment on the consultation now. This is your opportunity to have a say make your voice heard. Consultation closes 24 August 2021.

Access the consultation online at https://consultcambs.uk.engagementhq.com/cats