It’s been ten years since we set up the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign for safe cycling between Royston and Cambridge.
From no safe cycling at all in 2013, conditions have been transformed along much of the corridor and it’s now possible to cycle, mobility scooter or walk on a multi-use path between Melbourn and Cambridge.
The big missing link continues to be the Melbourn-Royston, though not for want of trying. A recent bid from the Combined Authority to central government’s ‘Transforming Cities’ fund, specifically for a bridge over the A505, was unfortunately unsuccessful – but there will be other chances and we’re aiming to be ready for whatever opportunities come along.
Lots of people have responded to multiple public consultations – most recently last autumn for the Melbourn Greenway, the Greater Cambridge Partnership scheme that aims to build on what has been built so far and fill in the gaps. It’s been slow going since the world changed a few years ago but small steps are better than none. Thanks for participating and helping things to keep moving.
Last week’s Greater Cambridge Partnership Assembly meeting focused on the much-needed upgrade to the path between Melbourn and Meldreth Station. You can watch the discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrNjzZzZ0qs, from 49m 45s.
Next up is the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign AGM on March 13th, 7-8PM – if you’d like to come along please ask contacta10cycle@gmail.com for the joining link.
Text of Susan’s contribution to the GCP Joint Assembly meeting below:
I’m here today to urge you to recommend an addition to the 2023 action list, which is the Melbourn-Meldreth Station path upgrade.
I’ve brought with me a hard hat from spring 2017 when the first City Deal spade in the ground saw the opening of the one-mile-long ‘Melbourn cycleway’ connecting Melbourn Science Park to Shepreth, and on to a series of new Department for Transport funded paths along the A10 to Trumpington. Together this route formed the spine of what would become the Melbourn Greenway scheme that was approved by the GCP in 2020.
The opening of the one-mile ‘Melbourn cycleway’ was also the last spade in the ground for active travel along the A10. Since 2017 we’ve had two extensive public consultations and one public engagement exercise which have certainly raised expectations.
It should be acknowledged that since 2017 we’ve also had, and are still in the midst of, a pandemic, Brexit impacts, new climate change-attributed weather events and epic inflation – the world has changed.
Nevertheless, the need for the Melbourn Greenway has only intensified, both from a sustainable travel point of view and because of a significantly growing workforce along the A10 corridor, from Royston to Cambridge and in between.
So I really welcome the continued ambition in today’s report for the critical link to Royston and the A505 bridge, comprehensively supported on both sides of the border. Also, the important work for an alternative active travel link through Harston, and anticipated improvements over the M11 with the Southwest Cambridge Park and Ride.
Melbourn Science Park is growing, with TTP’s new Birchwood campus about to open and an imminent major planning application for expansion by the park’s new owner, Bruntwood Sci Tech. Together these will see a significant growth in jobs. MSP’s travel to work plans depend on the Melbourn Greenway in all its elements: the bridge to Royston, a safer route to Cambridge with known vulnerable junctions addressed, and the improved active travel link from Melbourn to Meldreth Station.
The glaring omission in today’s report is action in 2023 on the Melbourn-Meldreth Station link, which had always been described to me as a quick win. Currently this is a rudimentary public footpath. As part of the Greenway, it should be widened for multi-use, lit for safety at night, and the pedestrian underpass in the middle of it remediated for public safety.
This upgrade is funded by S106 contributions worth ¼ million pounds, the lion’s share from TTP at Melbourn Science Park. The funds are now several years old and sitting in the local authority bank.
The urgent remediation of the underpass for public safety reasons has been fully funded by local third parties including parish councils and action is now underway and the project will be completed this year.
But the underpass stands to be remediated in isolation, and new employees arriving in Melbourn will not have that critical day one travel optimum behaviour choice to a nearby railway station, where we are working hard to recover train ridership post-pandemic. We’ve lost our all-day half-hourly service and need to build ridership back to improve the service – and here is an opportunity to do just that. But Melbourn Science Park will not encourage this if they don’t feel the connecting path is safe and adequate. By delaying this link, the GCP will look like it’s missed the boat. I hope this can be corrected for Board approval next month.
