More Cycling And Walking Measures For Cambridge

Extra trial measures to make it easier for people to travel around Greater Cambridge on foot and bicycle in the response to Covid-19 will be rolled out this month.

Further trial measures to make it easier for people to travel around Greater Cambridge on foot and bicycle in the response to Covid-19 will be rolled out this month.

The Greater Cambridge Partnership will implement additional trial schemes, known as Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs), in the Newtown area of Cambridge from 20th January. These will prevent through traffic movements to encourage active travel and help people maintain social distancing.

The responses to a public consultation which asked whether the ETROs delivered by the GCP last summer should be made permanent, changed or removed are currently being analysed and will be put before the GCP’s Executive Board later this year.

In phase one of the Newtown ETROs delivered last year, three short sections of road were closed to all motor vehicles:

Bateman Street, immediately west of Panton Street.
Coronation Street, immediately west of Panton Street.
Pemberton Terrace immediately west of Panton Street.
At the same time the section of Coronation Street between St. Eligius Street and Panton Street became two-way during the trial period.

Phase 2 of the Newtown schemes to be introduced this month will involve the following additional measures:

Closing a short section of Panton Street mid-way between Saxon Street and Union Road to all motor vehicles.
Making the section of Panton Street between Saxon Street and Union Road two-way for all vehicles on either side of the road closure point.
Allowing cyclists to use the sections of Panton Street between Saxon Street and Lensfield Road, and between Russell Court and Union Road in both directions with motor vehicles still required to go one-way, northbound.
Reversing the current one-way flow in Norwich Street so that it runs from Panton Street towards Hills Road (cycling will still be allowed in both directions).
Planters and bollards will be installed in Panton Street to prevent motor vehicles but cyclists and pedestrians will still be able to travel through the closure point. Additional signage will also be put up.

An ETRO trial can last for a maximum of 18 months before decisions need to be made on whether to keep the changes. A public consultation on these phase two schemes will be held later this year.

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