To the University of Cambridge, Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, and Cambridgeshire County Council:
We are deeply concerned that the designs of the Eddington Avenue / Huntingdon Road junction and the Bunker's Hill / Huntingdon Road / Girton Road are not safe for pedestrians and cyclists coming and going between the North West Cambridge Development and Girton Village, including both Girton Road and Thornton Road; moreover these designs are utterly inconsistent with the stated aspirations of the University, the City Council, and the District Council, to enhance the transport connections to neighbouring communities.
We note that the University’s Transport Strategy [1] aims to give cycling and walking high priority and states an aspiration for "high quality" solutions, including "safe and convenient crossings for pedestrians and cyclists".
We note that the University’s Community Strategy [2] repeatedly mentions the goal of linking to neighbouring communities through cycling and pedestrian routes.
We note that the City and District Councils' Policy [3, NW17, NW18] stipulates that pedestrian routes should be provided that are "direct, safe, and attractive", and that new and enhanced cycle links should be made, "including links to nearby villages".
The Eddington / Huntingdon junction design that is being built violates all these aspirations and commitments by singularly failing to include ANY new crossings of Huntingdon Road that are direct, safe, and attractive for people travelling from and to Girton and other destinations in the north-west.
This failure of design to conform to vision and policy is of particularly serious concern because over 100 small children need to cross Huntingdon Road every school-day to go to the University of Cambridge Primary School, and 41 of those pupils live to the North, in Girton. Future demand from the North will only increase over the coming years: based on this year's intake, we expect that in two years' time the school will have roughly 105 pupils who live in Girton; the adjacent nursery will surely also attract cyclists and pedestrians from the North; and all the other amenities on the North West Cambridge site will be very attractive to Girton residents.
The Bunker's Hill design is partly satisfactory (albeit not "high quality") for inbound and outbound cyclists and pedestrians heading from and to Girton College, and for confident outbound cyclists heading up Girton Road, but it provides no satisfactory route for young inbound cyclists coming from Girton Road; nor does it provide a satisfactory route for inbound or outbound pedestrians along Girton Road, because there is no safe route to get between the end of the Girton Road footpath and Bunker's Hill. Girton Road and Huntingdon Road are both 3 lanes wide, and both are busy roads from 8am to 9am.
We have the gravest concern about the possibility of a tragic accident. Numerous near misses have already occurred.
We call on the University urgently (1) to amend the design of the Eddington/Huntingdon junction by adding two new pedestrian and cycle crossings across Huntingdon Road, eliminating the cycle-lane pinch-point, and widening the southern footpath, and to implement these improvements with the utmost speed; (2) to amend the design of the Bunker's Hill junction so as to ensure that all categories of pedestrian and cyclist have a direct safe and attractive route in both directions.
We ask the University of Cambridge to change the plans, and the City Council, District Council, and County Council to support and expedite the approval of the satisfactorily revised plans with utmost urgency.
This petition was presented to the University on the 3rd of November 2015 (when it had 438 signatures), but it will remain open until our campaign is complete, so please do sign.
When signing the petition, please use the Comment field to let us know whether you are:
- "University member" - meaning Member of the Regent House, Graduate of the University, Member of the Faculties, or Person in statu pupillari (i.e. current student).
- "University employee" - meaning any other person employed by the University.
- "South Cambridgeshire resident".
- "Cambridge City resident".
- Anybody else - do let us know about your interest in our petition.
For further information and detailed maps and diagrams, see http://tinyurl.com/EddingtonSafety
References:
[1] http://www.nwcambridge.co.uk/files/o1_8_3_non-tech... ; http://www.nwcambridge.co.uk/files/o1_8_2_appendic... Policy NW14; http://www.nwcambridge.co.uk/files/o1_8_1_assessme... Sections 7.5.1, 7.6, 9.6.4.
[2] North West Cambridge Community Strategy (Feb 2013) File name 11_1114_OUT-SCHEDULE_06_-_COMMUNITY-1120456.pdf (not currently available on original website)
Updates
August 5, 2021
I honestly had not expected the counter to hit one thousand so quickly and it really makes me think the councils might actually have to listen to us now. It is wild to see this many people agreeing that the junction designs are just plain dangerous for anyone on a bike or walking to Girton because honestly I was worried I was the only one losing sleep over it.
Reached 1,000 supporters
August 3, 2021
July 31, 2021
The momentum is finally starting to build up and honestly it feels like we might actually get someone to listen if we keep this pace going (which is honestly a huge relief). Please just tell a few people about this right now because we need to hit that next threshold before the council starts ignoring our emails again.
December 10, 2019
I spent a long time staring at the blueprints for that junction today and it honestly feels like they just forgot people on bikes exist at all. I am sending out emails to the planners now but if you have ever had a scary moment trying to cross there please message me because hearing your stories helps me stay focused when the replies are just total runaround.
Reached 100 supporters
October 26, 2015
328 Comments
I was a first aider for a cyclist who had been hit by a car which was turning right from Oxford I think. he had head injuries and that made me think how dangerous this road is. all users would appreciate an upgrade to improve safety.
I commute from Girton to Cambridge daily and the pinch point coming out of Cambridge is horrendous. I've been hooted at and had a couple of near misses just trying to travel around the newly positioned curb that pushes cyclists into the path of vehicles.
Thornton Road resident. Not only do I worry for those that are already having to cross Huntingdon Road but I also worry for once the overall site is finished and there is more traffic (cars/cyclists/pedestrians) all trying to get in/out of this development.
Girton resident, grandparent of UCPS child. Vulnerable Grampses need to get across the road safely too. I'm too apprehensive to try to control 2 small children across the road currently.
Resident of Thornton Road and parent of a child at Mayfield Primary, with no option but to travel down Huntingdon Road. There is no safe way for us by bike, and we have had several very near misses. Please rethink this. It's not just UCPS children who need safe routes, it's everyone.
South Cambridgeshire resident
I am very concerned about road safety along Huntington Road up to Eddington and beyond to Girton. I cycle along this road and feel traffic is too fast. I feel unsafe. the route from Eddington to Girton is very dangerous.
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To the University of Cambridge, Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, and Cambridgeshire County Council:
We are deeply concerned that the designs of the Eddington Avenue / Huntingdon Road junction and the Bunker's Hill / Huntingdon Road / Girton Road are not safe for pedestrians and cyclists coming and going between the North West Cambridge Development and Girton Village, including both Girton Road and Thornton Road; moreover these designs are utterly inconsistent with the stated aspirations of the University, the City Council, and the District Council, to enhance the transport connections to neighbouring communities.
We note that the University’s Transport Strategy [1] aims to give cycling and walking high priority and states an aspiration for "high quality" solutions, including "safe and convenient crossings for pedestrians and cyclists".
We note that the University’s Community Strategy [2] repeatedly mentions the goal of linking to neighbouring communities through cycling and pedestrian routes.
We note that the City and District Councils' Policy [3, NW17, NW18] stipulates that pedestrian routes should be provided that are "direct, safe, and attractive", and that new and enhanced cycle links should be made, "including links to nearby villages".
The Eddington / Huntingdon junction design that is being built violates all these aspirations and commitments by singularly failing to include ANY new crossings of Huntingdon Road that are direct, safe, and attractive for people travelling from and to Girton and other destinations in the north-west.
This failure of design to conform to vision and policy is of particularly serious concern because over 100 small children need to cross Huntingdon Road every school-day to go to the University of Cambridge Primary School, and 41 of those pupils live to the North, in Girton. Future demand from the North will only increase over the coming years: based on this year's intake, we expect that in two years' time the school will have roughly 105 pupils who live in Girton; the adjacent nursery will surely also attract cyclists and pedestrians from the North; and all the other amenities on the North West Cambridge site will be very attractive to Girton residents.
The Bunker's Hill design is partly satisfactory (albeit not "high quality") for inbound and outbound cyclists and pedestrians heading from and to Girton College, and for confident outbound cyclists heading up Girton Road, but it provides no satisfactory route for young inbound cyclists coming from Girton Road; nor does it provide a satisfactory route for inbound or outbound pedestrians along Girton Road, because there is no safe route to get between the end of the Girton Road footpath and Bunker's Hill. Girton Road and Huntingdon Road are both 3 lanes wide, and both are busy roads from 8am to 9am.
We have the gravest concern about the possibility of a tragic accident. Numerous near misses have already occurred.
We call on the University urgently (1) to amend the design of the Eddington/Huntingdon junction by adding two new pedestrian and cycle crossings across Huntingdon Road, eliminating the cycle-lane pinch-point, and widening the southern footpath, and to implement these improvements with the utmost speed; (2) to amend the design of the Bunker's Hill junction so as to ensure that all categories of pedestrian and cyclist have a direct safe and attractive route in both directions.
We ask the University of Cambridge to change the plans, and the City Council, District Council, and County Council to support and expedite the approval of the satisfactorily revised plans with utmost urgency.
This petition was presented to the University on the 3rd of November 2015 (when it had 438 signatures), but it will remain open until our campaign is complete, so please do sign.
When signing the petition, please use the Comment field to let us know whether you are:
- "University member" - meaning Member of the Regent House, Graduate of the University, Member of the Faculties, or Person in statu pupillari (i.e. current student).
- "University employee" - meaning any other person employed by the University.
- "South Cambridgeshire resident".
- "Cambridge City resident".
- Anybody else - do let us know about your interest in our petition.
For further information and detailed maps and diagrams, see http://tinyurl.com/EddingtonSafety
References:
[1] http://www.nwcambridge.co.uk/files/o1_8_3_non-tech... ; http://www.nwcambridge.co.uk/files/o1_8_2_appendic... Policy NW14; http://www.nwcambridge.co.uk/files/o1_8_1_assessme... Sections 7.5.1, 7.6, 9.6.4.
[2] North West Cambridge Community Strategy (Feb 2013) File name 11_1114_OUT-SCHEDULE_06_-_COMMUNITY-1120456.pdf (not currently available on original website)
Updates
August 5, 2021
I honestly had not expected the counter to hit one thousand so quickly and it really makes me think the councils might actually have to listen to us now. It is wild to see this many people agreeing that the junction designs are just plain dangerous for anyone on a bike or walking to Girton because honestly I was worried I was the only one losing sleep over it.
Reached 1,000 supporters
August 3, 2021
July 31, 2021
The momentum is finally starting to build up and honestly it feels like we might actually get someone to listen if we keep this pace going (which is honestly a huge relief). Please just tell a few people about this right now because we need to hit that next threshold before the council starts ignoring our emails again.
December 10, 2019
I spent a long time staring at the blueprints for that junction today and it honestly feels like they just forgot people on bikes exist at all. I am sending out emails to the planners now but if you have ever had a scary moment trying to cross there please message me because hearing your stories helps me stay focused when the replies are just total runaround.
Reached 100 supporters
October 26, 2015
328 Comments
I live in Girton and I am increasingly concerned about the prospect of my pregnant wife having to contend with the unsafe road conditions on her cycle to work in Cambridge.
I was a first aider for a cyclist who had been hit by a car which was turning right from Oxford I think. he had head injuries and that made me think how dangerous this road is. all users would appreciate an upgrade to improve safety.
I commute from Girton to Cambridge daily and the pinch point coming out of Cambridge is horrendous. I've been hooted at and had a couple of near misses just trying to travel around the newly positioned curb that pushes cyclists into the path of vehicles.
Thornton Road resident. Not only do I worry for those that are already having to cross Huntingdon Road but I also worry for once the overall site is finished and there is more traffic (cars/cyclists/pedestrians) all trying to get in/out of this development.
Girton resident, grandparent of UCPS child. Vulnerable Grampses need to get across the road safely too. I'm too apprehensive to try to control 2 small children across the road currently.
Resident of Thornton Road and parent of a child at Mayfield Primary, with no option but to travel down Huntingdon Road. There is no safe way for us by bike, and we have had several very near misses. Please rethink this. It's not just UCPS children who need safe routes, it's everyone.
South Cambridgeshire resident
I am very concerned about road safety along Huntington Road up to Eddington and beyond to Girton. I cycle along this road and feel traffic is too fast. I feel unsafe. the route from Eddington to Girton is very dangerous.
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I live in Girton and I am increasingly concerned about the prospect of my pregnant wife having to contend with the unsafe road conditions on her cycle to work in Cambridge.