Micro asphalt works delayed by cold weather
Amanda Taylor
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Micro asphalt works delayed by cold weather
Thank you.
Robin Hood junction update
Fendon Road roundabout success
by admin on 20 June, 2016
Fendon Road roundabout councillors and surveyers
5-year community campaign gets results
Pedestrian crossings
There have been many calls over the years for pedestrian crossings on Fendon Road, and for safety improvements to the roundabout linking Fendon Road to Queen Edith’s Way and Mowbray Road.
One cold November day in 2013, Queen Edith’s councillor Tim Moore recruited a team of people from the community to survey the roundabout, to demonstrate to the County Council how busy it is. We counted thousands of cyclists an hour during the morning and evening rush hour and hundreds of pedestrians, many of them school or college students. The roundabout is not just busy, but also fast: in just one hour, we witnessed two pedestrian near misses and a cyclist who had to jump onto the pavement to avoid being hit by a vehicle. The County Council tells us there have been 15 accidents here in the past 5 years.
So we are pleased to report that the County Council has acted on local concerns.and is proposing zebra crossings not just on Fendon Road but also on the other approach roads to the roundabout on Mowbray Road and Queen Edith’s Way. A Dutch-style orbital cycle lane is proposed for the roundabout itself, which looks much clearer than the messy arrangement at Perne Road.
Queen Edith’s Way: separate space for pedestrians and cyclists
The County Council is combining the crossings with another much needed improvement scheme for Queen Edith’s Way. It is used not only by traffic to and from the Biomedical Campus but by local residents and children going to and from school: Netherhall, Long Road, Queen Edith and Queen Emma. Surprisingly for such a busy route, it has no cycle lanes and cyclists either take their chances on the fast road, or ride on the pavement (designated dual use in a ‘trial’ in 1999). The pavement is safer for them, but makes it less so for pedestrians. Schoolchildren rushing to school and older folk walking on the pavement do not a happy marriage make!
The Council is proposing two schemes which would provide new cycle lanes separate from cars and pedestrians. The designs have been informed by the first consultation last year and by workshops held at Netherhall earlier this year. If you live in Queen Edith’s, a leaflet should be dropping through your door very soon (here is a preview: Fendon&QEW_June16). You can complete it on paper on on the Council’s website for the project.If you would like to know more, come along to one of the Council’s exhibitions:
Tuesday 28th June, 1630-1930, Netherhall Sports Centre
Tuesday 5th July, 1200-1400, Addenbrooke’s Concourse
Wednesday 13th July, 1630-1930, St James’s Church, Wulfstan Way
The consultation is open from today until Monday 1st August.
Given the experience of the Hills Road cycle lanes project, we asked if the Council could issue updates about the project to interested parties, and I am pleased to say the Council is offering this for the Queen Edith’s Way/ Fendon Road scheme.
How the media reported the campaign:
105 radio interview: http://cambridge105.fm/105-drive-21-01-2014/
Cambridge News coverage: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/accident-fear-cambridges-fendon-road-roundabout-triggers-improvements/story-22365337-detail/story.html
3 Comments
[…] 1. Read the council’s web page on the project, which gives a good summary of the plans; 2. Read the council’s leaflet about the project, if it comes through your door; 3. Visit one of the three exhibitions about the project, at Netherhall Sports Centre, Addenbrooke’s Hospital Concourse or St James’ Church in Wulfstan Way; and 4. Read the coverage provided by our local County Councillor, Amanda Taylor. […]
You says that:
“Surprisingly for such a busy route, it has no cycle lanes and cyclists either take their chances on the fast road, or ride on the pavement (designated dual use in a ‘trial’ in 1999). The pavement is safer for them, but makes it less so for pedestrians.”
Two points:
1. The speed limit is 30mph, so hardly a ‘fast road’. But, of course, due to lack of obvious policing, some vehicles do speed along it.
2. Although it is counter-intuitive, cyclists are NOT safer on the pavement. Statistically it is safer for them to ride in the carriageway, where they are less likely to: collide with cars turning out of side roads (because cars can see them, and must give way); collide with cars emerging from driveways; and collide with pedestrians.
David, thank you for your comment. You are quite correct that Queen Edith’s Way is 30mph: nevertheless, it does have a lot of speeding; police found 75% of drivers breaking the limit when they last carried out speed checks. It is on the list for Speedwatch.
2. Good points about pavement cycling. Pavement cycleways are an uneasy compromise that don’t really make anyone happy. Are your stats general ones, or for this area specifically, and when you say the road is safer, are you talking about the number of accidents or the severity? I can well believe there are more accidents on the pavement, as there is likely to be more conflict, but imagine those that do take place on the road may be more severe…?