Nina Lübbren, Romsey, published this measured and sensible comment elsewhere on an invitation-only social network. It is reproduced here with Nina’s permission.
At this point, I feel it would be useful to disentangle several issues about the Mill Road bridge closure.
- The lack of consultation. Probably most of us would have preferred more consultation but also understand why no consultation took place (because of government requiring immediate action).
- The need for social distancing. We can probably all agree that it is vital to enable social distancing for anybody crossing the bridge. Pedestrians have to step onto the road to keep a distance. Cyclists have to cycle in the middle of the road to keep a distance. People in cars are protected from the air outside but are faced with pedestrians and cyclists on the road. This was not a safe scenario.
- Decreased traffic; less pollution. A separate issue to 1. and 2. As with last year’s closure of the bridge, the decrease of pollution and traffic (and possible moving of this pollution and traffic elsewhere) is a side-effect of the closure of the bridge. Neither last year’s or this year’s closure was effected in order to address pollution. A joined-up urban planning measure with due consultation and a gathering of statistical data (pollution levels etc) needs to be undertaken in order to address this.
- Adverse effect on traders. This can be linked to 1. above but does not affect 2.
- Accessibility. For those who cannot cross the bridge by bike or on foot, there will need to be provision made, and quickly. Again, this is linked to 1. but now that the urgency of immediate action has passed, I would hope that the [Cambridgeshire County] Council puts measures in place to address both 2. and 5.
Nina Lübbren, Romsey
See also:
- Wider footways, barriers and bridge restrictions
- Traders overwhelmingly in favour of re-opening Mill Road bridge to cars
- Bridge closure protest
- Protest Walk Saturday 1st August
- Blue Badge holders access to Mill Road
- Mill Road Bridge – Blue Badge Petition
- How is it working so far…
- Celebrate Local Businesses
- Petition opposing the bridge closure
- Current Trading Problems in Mill Road
- The Gas Man Cometh (Again)
- Gas Works – Important Update
- Ideas for future Mill Road prosperity
- Petition: Allow taxis to go, where buses go
Do you have views about the measures which Cambridgeshire County Council are taking? How is it working so far… for you? Whatever your view, as long as it is expressed politely, you can add your comments below. Or on many of the posts above.
I have heard many arguments from those negatively affected by the Mill Rd closure, and struggle to see the value of the bridge remaining closed. Those in favour mostly put forward concerns about air quality. With East Rd currently closed, my partners journey to work takes 45min instead of the usual 15min. That’s an extra half an hour of engines running for many city workers just trying to get to work in the morning! It seems that the closure of the Mill Rd bridge is actually increasing overall air pollution in the city just so that a few can “enjoy” cleaner air. The knock-on affect to peoples livelihoods, to the community, to local independent businesses, and to the city’s air quality, hardly seems worth the bridge remaining closed; seems very short-sighted.
The East Road closure is a very temporary one arising from a collapsed sewer. It will be gone shortly.
Reducing the amount of road space is rarely associated with increased pollution, because it means less space and thus fewer vehicles. On the contrary, what happens is that freeing up the space on Mill Road will open up new transport choice, e.g. buses no longer stuck in traffic, cycling now becomes safer and thus more realistic, and walking is possible for those who felt the air quality and space was too poor before.
Mill Road very busy today. Local independent businesses should benefit from a nicer street environment that attracts people to the area, especially if the freed-up space can be used more productively now for things like seating, parking, delivery bays, etc.
Yeah…. lots of hypotheticals there; unfortunately the real-world effects of such short-sighted decisions rarely match up to the idealism; not much of a convincing argument.
There is plenty of evidence for the “real-world effects”, in all their variety. If I was looking for convincing arguments, I’d start here.
Today I spotted a large council refuse collection lorry, an HGV, about to cross the bridge, which is neither a bus, bicycle, ambulance or other emergency service, so I stopped it to ask if it had an exemption. Apparently it does, and so, according to the driver, do most Cambridge City Council vehicles.
So it’s one rule for them, and another rule for us. They seem to be keeping quiet about this though, I don’t see the signs saying cycles, bus, and council vehicles.
We understand that there are certain categories of public service vehicles – pre-registered – which are allowed through all Cambridge bus-gates. They previously had transponders which activated the retractable bollards.
All blue-light vehicle are also exempt to the restriction.
Your points do beg the question of what kinds of traffic should be permitted free access and what should be prohibited.
Thank you for publishing the link to the Welwyn story–
Today’s (Sunday) Telegraph has a headline:
reporting of road restrictions that at first sight look like quite close relatives of the ones now in force on Mill Road bridge. The local paper – Welwyn Hatfield Times – has both a report of the campaign to lift them and of its success.
Both are well worth a read.
– Mill Road Bridges web editor
Among other things it notes that the claim that narrowing the road will enable social distanching and so reduce covid spread is a little at odds with public health statements about the rareness of outdoor transmission – a point which will surely apply to all the “experimental” road closures around Cambridge.
Perhaps some of those who are really local to Mill Road not just people like me about to be inconvenienced by different parts of the closure policy should contact Welwyn to collect full comparitive details and see if restrictions can only be lifted if you are in the constituency of the minister who set up the scheme!
Arthur
It seems fairly clear that the Welwyn scheme is similar to what was originally planned for Mill Road – a one-way road-narrowing system. Cambs CC replaced it with the bus gate on the bridge, in my opinion after pressure from Camcycle and local county councillors as it fitted with their long term ambitions for pedestrianization.
The MP, Daniel Zeichner spoke up against the lack of consultation at first but has kept quiet since. There is no political representation for anyone opposing the scheme because councillors on both councils are either for it or are simply keeping quiet.
There is a lot of talk about health but this doesn’t seem very healthy to me.
Yet again you misrepresent others’ views deliberately.
Camcycle has never pushed for pedestrianisation. How on earth would that work with so many sideroads?
You can see a clear statement on its website to this effect.
I am writing to express my views regarding the closure of Mill Road bridge.
I care for my elderly mother full-time. We often shop along Mill Road, my mum is a blue badge holder. Since the closure we no longer go to Mill Road as to reach the other side you have to go all the way around. We now go elsewhere. I grew up on Mill Road, I was born at Mill Road Maternity Hospital, 50 years ago, my mum has shopped on Mill Road for 64 years.
Why should my mum no longer be able to shop on Mill Road when it is so close to us but now inaccessible? Why should cyclists be more important than the elderly, the disabled, the doctors, carers, delivery drivers, traders, and workers? It’s even more upsetting knowing that they have their own dedicated cycle bridge which cost
£2 million.
It has also made the traffic much worse on all the other roads.
The reason we have been given is that it is to help social distancing. I don’t believe that for one second. I think the pandemic has been used as an excuse to get government funding to pedestrianise Mill Road. The chicanes are lethal and Mill Road is now unrecognisable and dangerous. It has become a dead, soulless place that looks like a race track. It has lost it’s wonderful, vibrant, uniqueness.
Are we not supposed to be getting the economy going instead of sending the traders out of business?
Isn’t it illegal to discriminate against the elderly and disabled who can now no longer travel along Mill Road?
Born and lived in Cambridge most of that time. Cycle everywhere (of course!) and for the first time ever am nervous cycling up Mill Road.
Being slung into oncoming traffic in some sort of slalom catastrophe is just not fun. Is it my imagination or are drivers more frustrated and therefore less considerate? Certainly traffic as bad as ever … just more confusing now.
I love Cambridge and would love to see less unnecessary cars and pollution but this feels like a bandwagon full of thoughtlessness and carelessness likely to do more harm than good.
It’s not entirely right to say this closure was not done to reduce traffic/pollution. The statutory guidance Cambs CC was responding to makes clear “greener” and “safer” considerations are in play for the long view:
“The government therefore expects local authorities to make significant changes to their road layouts to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians. Such changes will help embed altered behaviours and demonstrate the positive effects of active travel … I urge you all … to make sure you do what is necessary to ensure transport networks support recovery from the COVID-19 emergency and provide a lasting legacy of greener, safer transport.”
With this is mind I think an added point 6 should be added to Nina Lübbren’s 5: “Active travel”. To what extent does this closure change people’s behaviour, reduce local cars journeys and get people into the habit of travelling actively instead? How can Mill Rd have a legacy that is both safer and greener?