We will be taking advantage of the opportunity to respond to this landmark Greater Cambridge Partnership consultation on the future of sustainable transport in our area.  

A more frequent and cheaper bus service, offering early, late and new services to ensure people can get to education and jobs without needing access to private car transport, forms the backbone of the proposals.  A Cambridge ‘Sustainable Travel Zone’ congestion charge would form part of the package as a funding stream to sustain bus services, coming in only after an improved bus network is established.  Walking and cycling improvements complement the expansion of public transport.  We encourage people to read through the whole of the consultation document to gain a full picture, before responding.  

Please do respond – and encourage any young people in your household to do so as well, adding their voices to help shape future transport and accessibility choices.

We would welcome any views ahead of submitting our response to the consultation which closes 23 December.

https://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/sustainable-transport-programme/city-access-programme/making-connections

We’ve had the following message for the Melbourn Greenway consultation team. This is a massive scheme for us and local active travel. Please do have your say, the numbers responding really do make a difference.

Melbourn Greenway public engagement programme kicks off today (3rd October)

The public engagement programme for the Melbourn Greenway kicks off today (3rd October) with people encouraged to share their views on the proposed designs.

The Greenway will provide safer and better routes for people walking, cycling and, where appropriate, horse-riding, along the A10 corridor south of the M11 towards Royston, connecting Melbourn, Hauxton, Harston, Foxton with improved links to Shepreth and Meldreth railway stations.

Engagement on the Greenway begins today – 3rd October – and closes at midday on Friday 28th October.

There will be a virtual event on the 11th of October (18:00 – 20:00), and public drop-in events at Melbourn Hub on 17th October (16:00 – 19:00), and Hauxton Centre on 20th October (16;00 – 19:00).

To find out more and share your views with us please visit the following website: https://consultcambs.uk.engagementhq.com/gcp-melbourn…

Your feedback will be considered as part of further design and planning work.  

The Greater Cambridge Partnership launched a rolling programme of public engagement on the Greenways in the summer to give communities an opportunity to shape how each route will look and feel to provide significantly enhanced active travel journeys.

When complete, there will be about 150km of Greenways to provide new and improved active travel links to more than 50 communities and public transport hubs.

For more information about the Greenways project and to view the designs visit https://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/greenways

Have your say on the Melbourn Greenway before midday 28th October

The A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign will hold its annual Awareness Ride on Sunday 25 September, setting off from Trumpington Park and Ride at 10AM, bound for Phillimore Garden Centre for refreshments. A walking and scooter contingent will set off from the Melbourn Hub at 10AM. Please bring your own drinks and do get in touch if you would like to help as a ride marshal or contribute any cakes – many thanks in anticipation.

Melbourn Greenway officers have been invited to join us so this will be a chance to share any concerns or ideas about proposals to extend the current route to Royston, divert between Church St Harston and Hauxton, and via the new planned Hauxton P&R.
Hoping to see you on the day!

The A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign will be holding its AGM and meeting to update members, on March 21, 7:30PM, via Zoom.   An agenda and link will be made available closer to the date.

This month we’ve had to say farewell to John Meadows, a great friend and champion for safe cycling on the A10. He’s pictured here at Royston Town Hall a few years ago, third from left, following a meeting of the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign with Cambridgeshire County Council officer Simon Manville, who gave a sneak preview of the proposed Melbourn Greenway and the link to Royston, a scheme that was formally adopted by the Greater Cambridge Partnership in June 2020.

John was also at the inaugural meeting of the A10 Campaign in January 2013, with a big smile and ready to do absolutely anything necessary to make the bridge to Royston a reality. Every year he’d say, ‘it’s been 2-3-4-5-6-7-8! years – why haven’t we got the bridge yet?’ As a former Royston Town Councillor, he knew first-hand the bureaucracies of local government. Equally, he understood how vital it was to develop strong relationships in every quarter – and he was always the first to spot potential and cultivate these.

‘Keep smiling!’ John would always say, encouraging us on our way. His trademark red hair and red bicycles were emblematic of his unrestrained passion, and often at campaign meetings, Jill would put her hand gently on John’s arm. We all knew it was coming and indeed it was John’s passion that injected the fire we needed for the campaign – and after each meeting we knew we’d taken another step forward. Once when a tour was offered to a key official who wanted to experience first-hand the awful existing A10 path between Royston and Melbourn, John arranged to loan one of his bicycles for the occasion. He said to Jill with a grin, ‘Let’s make sure we pump up those tyres to the max. Those potholes need to be fully appreciated!’

A multitude of friendships and traditions have evolved out of the A10 Campaign, including the Tuesday morning Meldreth Marvels cycling group, in which John and Jill have taken part for many years. Still awaiting the safe link to Royston, John and Jill would load their bikes into the back of their car to make the short trip to Meldreth, cycling on with the Marvels from there. While ‘the last mile’ to Royston is still awaited, today the A10 corridor looks very different from when the A10 Campaign kicked off in 2013, and the Marvels always meander onto the network of cycle paths that now feature on the A10 corridor between Melbourn and Cambridge.

When the bridge to Royston is finally built, we’ll be there on its crest with our bicycles, toasting John.

Susan van de Ven

Photos courtesy of Gerald C.

The A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign is delighted to announce the return of the annual A10 Awareness Ride, which takes place Sunday 3 October.

The family friendly ride departs from Trumpington Park and Ride at 10:30am, heading to Phillimore Garden Centre Melbourn for refreshments. The ride will stick to the dedicated off-road multi-use path and marshals will be stationed at all junctions and crossing points.

Campaign Chair and Cambs County Councillor Susan van de Ven said:

‘We’re delighted to be able to come together again for what has always been an annual event, like so many other things, missed out during last year’s lockdown.

For anyone who has yet to take up cycling for health, leisure, or work and college commuting, and doesn’t yet know the A10 cycle path, please come along. This will also be an opportunity to get updated on how the existing cycle network will be expanded and improved by the Greater Cambridge Partnership as part of the ‘Melbourn Greenway’ plan. Most notably, a path and bridge connecting Melbourn and Royston is in the plan and would absolutely transform local travel patterns and opportunities within a very small geography.’

Ride Leader and Royston resident Francis Sedgemore said:

‘We’d like to thank everyone who’s volunteered to help out as a marshal, or with refreshments. All key junctions and crossing points will be managed by our marshals. We’re really looking forward to welcoming families with young children on the ride once again. There is no charge for the ride – all you need to do is turn up.’

Terry Adams, Royston resident who commutes to work in South Cambs, said:

‘Until we have a pedestrian/cycle bridge over the A505, most people won’t be willing to risk cycling between Royston and South Cambs. The bridge and path connecting Royston and Melbourn can’t come soon enough.’

Camcycle CEO Roxanne De Beaux said: ‘It’s great to see an expansion of the cycle network into the villages. The Melbourn Greenway will make a huge improvement to the current A10 route and we’ve been delighted to support this project from its inception.’

This year’s Ride is hosted in partnership with Camcycle, representing the Cambridge end of the A10 corridor, and is supported also by Hertfordshire County and District Councillors.

Contact: Susan van de Ven, A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign chair, 0790532557

We’re delighted to announce that our annual family friendly A10 Awareness Ride will take place on Sunday October 3rd, setting off from Trumpington Park and Ride at 10:30AM and heading to Phillimore Garden Centre in Melbourn for refreshments. 

The ride will stick to the existing path and there will be a chance to learn about improvements to come with the Melbourn Greenway scheme.  

If you’d like to volunteer to help as a marshal or with refreshments, please let us know.

We have a general meeting on July 12th via Zoom. We hope you are well and getting about on your bikes more than ever and would love to see you.

The deadline for the Cambridgeshire Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan closes on July 13 – do please take a moment to respond if you can:
https://consultcambs.uk.engagementhq.com/ccc-local-cycling-and-walking-infrastructure-plan-consultation-2021

A PDF of this report can be viewed or downloaded here.