FAQs
What is the Cambridge Eastern Access Project?
Cambridge Eastern Access is one of four areas identified by the GCP Executive Board as being in need of transport infrastructure improvements to enable more people living, working, visiting, and travelling through the area to travel by walking, cycling and public transport. High-quality walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure is needed in eastern Cambridge to provide an attractive alternative to travel by private car which causes congestion and contributes to poor air quality and climate change.
How does the scheme proposals complement Making Connections?
The responses to the recent Making Connections consultation are being analysed and will be published once a report is complete.
The proposals for Newmarket Road and the relocation and expansion of the Park & Ride complement and support the Making Connections proposals. The Making Connections proposals are predicted to reduce traffic movements by 50% within the Sustainable Travel Zone covering Cambridge through modal shift to walking, cycling and public transport.
The proposals for Newmarket Road provide the high-quality safe and attractive walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure needed to accommodate the existing and predicted additional travel demand by sustainable travel modes. The relocation and expansion of the Park & Ride will provide the capacity needed to accommodate additional trips forecast to be made by bus and provide the bus stop capacity to accommodate new and additional bus services funded by the Making Connections proposals.
· Further details on the Making Connections consultation are available here.
How does the scheme relate to other local walk and cycle schemes and routes?
There are a number of other proposed and recently completed transport infrastructure projects along Newmarket Road that these proposals will complement to create a better network or routes. The proposals for Newmarket Road will connect directly with the Bottisham Greenway proposals at the Airport Way roundabout. The two scheme designs will be co-ordinated, creating a high-quality walking and cycling route between Cambridge city centre and Bottisham.
Newmarket Road is intersected by the Chisholm Trail, with access provided between Newmarket Road and the Phase 1 route. Improved walk and cycle access is proposed from the Chisholm Trail to the popular riverside route via Garlic Road and a new signal-controlled Toucan crossing.
· Further details on the greenways proposals are available here
· Further details on the Chisholm Trail proposals are available here
How do the scheme proposals support planned developments?
We have been engaging with developers and their respective consultancy teams to understand their access requirements at the Marleigh, East Barnwell Masterplan and Cambridge East committed and proposed developments. We are also aware of the planned redevelopment of the Honda garage and 211- 213 Newmarket Road to provide a hotel as well as emerging proposals for the Beehive and Grafton Centres. The proposals for Newmarket Road identify changes to the existing Marleigh access junction and associated infrastructure to enable the provision of consistent end-to-end walk and cycle facilities from Elizabeth Way to the existing Park & Ride junction in accordance with current design guidance. We will continue to engage with developers and their consultants to co-ordinate the Newmarket Road design proposals and construction work to minimise disruption and ensure that the proposals support and accommodate the future access requirements of all future planned developments along Newmarket Road. We are working with Marshalls and their project team on the proposals to relocate the Park & Ride to the preferred site east of Airport Way. This site will directly support the proposal for a high-quality public transport route through the Cambridge East development on the Cambridge Airport site. We will continue to work with other emerging development proposals.
Why is the scheme needed?
Improvements to Newmarket Road are needed to encourage more people to walk, cycle and travel by bus, to reduce the overall amount of traffic, vehicle emissions and improve air quality for local residents.
Newmarket Road currently accommodates high traffic flows which results in a poor local environment for people walking and cycling, making the street difficult to cross and for local residents to access day-to-day facilities.
Direct, safe, comfortable, and attractive infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists and bus users is needed to enable more people to travel along Newmarket Road. The proposed infrastructure for these modes will enable more people to travel along Newmarket Road, providing the additional capacity needed to accommodate planned growth in the local area which will increase travel demands along the street.
How does the scheme benefit people walking?
The proposals involve improvements to the existing footways along both sides of Newmarket Road, including additional and relocated signal-controlled crossings to make it easier to cross the street and access local destinations. The proposals include the removal of the majority of ‘shared-use’ paths between Elizabeth Way and the existing Park & Ride junction so that pedestrians and cyclists will have their own segregated space.
At the lightly trafficked side road junctions we are proposed continuous footways where pedestrians have clear visual priority over vehicles, improving safety for people walking along Newmarket Road. In addition, tightened corner radii are proposed at some side road junctions to reduce vehicle turning speeds and crossing distances.
How does the scheme benefit people wheeling (cycling, rented e-scooter & mobility aids)?
The existing facilities for people wheeling (cycling, rented e-Scooter and mobility aids) are inconsistent, generally sub-standard and include narrow on-street cycle lanes, shared bus lanes and off-road shared-use paths with pedestrians.
The proposals include wide (generally 2.2m), ‘Cambridge Kerb’ segregated cycle tracks on both sides of Newmarket Road, from Elizabeth Way to the existing Park & Ride junction, prioritising cyclists over traffic at all side roads and provide bus stop by-passes at the majority of bus stop locations. At the eastern end of the scheme, the existing off-road shared-use path is retained to connect with the Bottisham Greenways. At this location pedestrian flows a substantially lower.
The proposals will transform the cycling infrastructure along Newmarket Road, providing the consistent and safe infrastructure needed to encourage new cyclists and cater for the anticipated increase in the number of cyclists expected along Newmarket Road.
How does the scheme benefit bus users?
Cyclists currently using the existing shared bus lanes can delay buses during periods of traffic congestion. The proposed segregated cycle lanes will ensure cyclists have their own safe dedicated space. To provide dedicated space for cycle tracks on both sides of the carriageway and introduce floating bus stops, some existing sections of bus lane between Coldham’s Lane and the rail bridge have had to be removed.
However, to minimise the impact to bus journey times along Newmarket Road, new sections of bus lane are proposed west of Coldham’s Lane and at the eastern end of the scheme, in combination with the relocation of the existing Park & Ride. Changes to the existing number and locations of bus stops are proposed to optimise the spacing, and provide floating bus stops where space allows to provide further benefits for bus users. At the detailed design stage, we will consider how the existing traffic signals can be upgraded to provide better priority for buses.
Will proposals benefit private vehicle users?
The aim of the proposals is to provide the infrastructure needed to enable more people to walk, cycle and travel by public transport. The proposals retain vehicle access to all existing streets and properties along Newmarket Road, ensuring that deliveries, servicing, and essential car trips can still take place. However, the scheme does not include measures to increase general vehicle capacity as there is insufficient space to provide additional general traffic lanes and designing for additional vehicle capacity will simply result in more vehicular traffic and increased congestion along Newmarket Road over time.
Are the requirements for mobility impaired users considered in the design?
The proposals have followed design guidance provided in the Department for Transport Inclusive Mobility to ensure the scheme is accessible for all users. Segregated space will be provided for walking, wheeling buses, and vehicles, minimising the need for people travelling by different modes to mix in the same space. The footways have been designed to enable two wheelchair users to safely pass and the cycle track can accommodate a variety of bicycles including cargo bikes.
Tactile paving for visually impaired people will be provided at all crossing points, and continuous footways will be provided across the lightly trafficked side roads. At the floating bus stops, a Zebra crossing is proposed across the cycle track to give bus passengers priority when boarding and alighting from buses. Along Newmarket Road the public realm will be improved with the opportunity to provide additional seating for people to rest. This will be investigated further at the detailed design stage.
Why are you planning to relocate the Park and Ride?
The existing Park & Ride site is leased to Cambridgeshire County Council from Marshalls and allocated for redevelopment as part of Cambridge East development on Cambridge Airport. In the medium to long-term the site will no longer be available to the County Council for use as a Park & Ride. The existing site is also constrained and will be challenging to expand to provide the additional car parking need to accommodate the forecast increase in users as a result of the Making Connections proposals.
What are the benefits of the preferred Park & Ride location?
The preferred site is east of Airport Way and south of Newmarket Road. It has been selected as it is located on the inbound side of Newmarket Road, located at the edge of Cambridge, providing attractive bus journey times into the city and enables users to park and cycle. The proposed site can provide a direct public transport route through Cambridge East in the future and is located away from the Wilbraham Fens Site of Special Scientific Interest.
What design standards have been followed when designing the scheme?
The proposals have adopted the design principles set out in the Department for Transport Local Transport Note 1/20 Cycle Infrastructure Design. The design of the scheme has also applied the user hierarchy set out in the Manual for Streets, which recommends consideration of the space and movement requirements for pedestrians first, followed by cyclists, public transport users and finally other motor vehicles.
Are any trees proposed to be removed?
We appreciate that the existing trees along Newmarket Road provide ecological value and enhance the street environment. The proposals have been designed to minimise the impact on existing trees wherever possible. The scheme proposals show where the scheme will result in the removal of existing trees, where further assessments are required at the next stage of design to understand what protection may be needed for trees close to the works, where the existing trees can be retained and where new tree planting could be provided.
What public realm improvements are proposed?
The proposals for Newmarket Road include improvements to the public realm to enhance the local street environment. The preliminary Landscape Strategy includes proposals for Sustainable Urban Drainage features including rain gardens to naturally manage surface water run-off and provide street greening. Additional tree planting and replacement tree planting are proposed along with street along with rich species grassland to enhance biodiversity. Further detailed plans showing the preliminary landscape strategy are available here
Are you proposing any changes to the speed limit?
Newmarket Road is currently 30 mph between Elizabeth Way and Marshalls. The speed limit then changes to 40 mph, before increasing to 50 mph east of the existing Park & Ride junction to the Airport Way roundabout. The scheme proposals include extending the 30 mph speed limit to east of the existing Park & Ride junction, before transitioning to a 40 mph speed limit on approach to the Airport Way roundabout. With the eastern end of Newmarket Road becoming more developed an extension of the existing 30 mph speed limit is appropriate for the changing street environment and will provide a safer street environment for all street users.
What is a CYCLOPS junction?
The proposals for Newmarket Road include replacing the existing Elizabeth Way and Barnwell Road roundabouts with Cycle Optimised Protected Signals (CYCLOPS) junctions. At the Elizabeth Way junction a two-way CYCLOPS is proposed so cyclists can travel directly. The proposed CYCLOPS junctions are signal-controlled crossroads where all pedestrian, cycle and vehicle movements have fully segregated facilities. Controlled pedestrian crossings are provided across every junction arm and a segregated cycle track around the junction enables cyclists to safely cross each arm with pedestrians. Vehicles have their own signal-controlled movements through the junction as per existing signal-controlled junctions. CYCLOPS junctions are relatively new junction arrangements, with the first in the County located on Histon Road, with the second under construction on Milton Road. They provide substantial safety benefits, with separate signal-controlled stages for pedestrians and cyclist to cross, removing potential conflicts with turning vehicles. The compact junction arrangements also provide the opportunity to provide additional public realm space and planting for the local community. The proposed infilling of the Elizabeth Way underpasses will transform the junction, providing a safer more inclusive crossing for all street users. At the Elizabeth Way junction a two-way cycle track is proposed around the junction so that cyclists can travel directly between Occupation Road and Abbey Road, a popular desire line to access the riverside cycle route from the south, without having to route all the way around the junction. At Barnwell Road a conventional CYCLOPS is proposed with a one-way cycle track due to the shorter travel distances around the junction.
What is a Hold the Left turn junction?
The proposals for the Newmarket Road / Ditton Lane junction include a ‘hold the left turn’ arrangement. The signal-controlled T-Junction will include new controlled crossings on Ditton Lane and Newmarket Road to provide safe crossing facilities. The junction also includes a nearside outbound cycle track with a dedicated green signal. Conflicting vehicle traffic movements turning across the cycle track will be held on a red signal and only have a green signal when cyclists are held on red, removing the risk of ‘left hook’ collisions. Inbound cyclists along Newmarket Road will also be able to bypass the junction signal controls.
What is a floating bus stop?
Floating bus stops are proposed along Newmarket Road (with the exception by the Abbey Stadium where there is insufficient space). Floating bus stops have the pedestrian footway and cycle track behind the bus stop so that cyclists do not have to manoeuvre around waiting buses, improving safety for all street users. Floating bus stops are the best practice arrangement for new facilities across the city, there are examples on Huntingdon Road, Histon Road and Hills Road.
What is a continuous footway?
Continuous footway junction arrangements are proposed at the lightly trafficked priority-controlled side roads along Newmarket Road. Continuous footway and cycle tracks across the side roads will provide clear visual priority to pedestrians and cyclists, improving safety for people walking and cycling along Newmarket Road. This will be achieved through the use of ramps, coloured surface materials and tightened junction corners to ensure slow vehicle turning movements.
What cycle tracks are proposed?
The proposals include stepped cycle tracks from Elizabeth Way to the existing Park & Ride junction on both sides of the street. These will generally be 2.2m wide, narrowing at pinch points and floating bus stops to encourage slower speeds. This width enables two cyclists to overtake each other within the cycle track and accommodate a wider range of different types of bicycles including cargo bikes. The wide stepped cycle tracks will provide protection between motor traffic, cycle traffic and pedestrians. Segregation is proposed using the ‘Cambridge Kerb’ which has been implemented across the city on Huntingdon Road, Histon Road and Hills Road. The Cambridge Kerb results in the cycle track being higher than the adjacent carriageway but enables vehicles to cross the cycle track to access private driveways and pull over to allow emergency vehicles to pass. This arrangement will allow a level cycle track to be provided, providing a smooth and comfortable ride of users of the cycle tracks. At the eastern end of the scheme the outbound cycle track connects with the existing shared-use path provided on the northside of Newmarket Road which enables cycles to route in both directions towards Bottisham and the National Cycle Route 51 through the existing Park & Ride site. On the southside of Newmarket Road an inbound cycle track is proposed from Airport Way to Elizabeth Way. Cyclists travelling outbound can access Airport Way via the proposed signal-controlled crossing at the Airport Way roundabout. At the detailed design stage, the type of cycle track segregation that can be achieved along the different sections of Newmarket Road will be determined in more detail, ensuring that a consistent, comfortable, and attractive route is provided taking into consideration the variation in local character and available space along the street.
How was the preferred site identified?
Feedback from the 2021 public consultation raised concerns with the presented location options of the relocated Park & Ride to the east of Airport Way and south of Newmarket Road. The feedback included the identification of additional potential relocation sites and concerns over potential impacts to the Cambridge Green Belt and Wilbraham Fen Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). In response the GCP commissioned WSP to undertake a through and robust Park & Ride site identification and appraisal study and a strategic Green Belt impact assessment.
· The Park & Ride site identification and appraisal report is available here
· Strategic green belt assessment is available here
The combination of these assessments resulted in the recommendation that the greenfield site immediately to the east of Airport Way and south of Newmarket Road on balance provides the preferred site for the relocated Park & Ride. This is because operationally it can deliver the quickest bus journey times into Cambridge and the shortest cycle distances, does not require substantial additional bus priority infrastructure, is predicted to have the lowest environmental impact due to the distance from the SSSI, can be contained within the existing mature hedgerows, and can directly support the delivery of sustainable development at Cambridge East.
How will the site be accessed?
Currently we are at an early stage of scheme design for the Park & Ride. Two short-listed concept designs have been developed that propose vehicle access from a new signal-controlled T-Junction on Newmarket Road, east of the Airport Way roundabout. This is to intercept the main Park & Ride demand from the A14. The signal-controlled junction will include a crossing to enable Park & Peddle site users to safely access the shared-use path on the north side of Newmarket Road to cycle towards Cambridge. Dedicated bus access can be provided by either partially signalising the Airport Way roundabout or a new bus only signal controlled junction on Airport Way providing direct access into the future Cambridge East development.
What facilities will be provided?
Discussions have taken place with Cambridgeshire County Council regarding the facilities required to be provided on site. The preferred site can accommodate approximately 1,500 to 1,900 car parking spaces including disabled and electric charging spaces, a Park & Ride building, cycle parking, cycle lockers, shared bike, and e-scooter space, covered bus stops, bus waiting and coach parking. Appropriate lighting and CCTV will also be provided to ensure the site is safe for all users. These facilities can be provided within the existing mature hedgerows that bound the preferred Park & Ride site. If attenuation pond(s) are required to manage the surface water drainage, these could be provided outside the hedgerows along with potential future expansion space to future proof the site. The next stage will be to undertake preliminary scheme design and transport modelling to predict the future user demand of the relocated Park & Ride site.
What bus services will operate from the new Park & Ride?
It is envisaged that the relocated Park & Ride site will continue to operate high frequency services along Newmarket Road to the city centre. Complementing the GCP Making Connections proposals, the expanded Park & Ride can also accommodate additional bus services, including bus services routing along Newmarket Road from the villages to the east, providing the opportunity to interchange between services. New high frequency services could also be provided from the Park & Ride site to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and other key destinations. Bus services can also route through Cambridge East directly supporting sustainable development on this strategic site.
How much will the scheme cost and how is it funded?
The budget cost estimates for Newmarket Road and the Park & Ride are £34m and £32.6 respectively. At this stage of the design develop, these are high level budget estimates that include estimates for items such as utility diversions. As more detailed survey information becomes available including drainage, geotechnical and utility location information, and the detailed designs are developed, more detailed scheme costings will be produced to update the scheme costs before construction begins. Two of the biggest risks that may affect the current design and scheme costs are existing utilities and trees. At the next design stage for Newmarket Road, we will be working closely with utility providers and Arboriculture specialists to understand in more detail the impact of the scheme on existing utilities and mature trees. As more detailed information becomes available, we will review the scheme impact and cost implications and investigate potential mitigation options which may result in the scheme proposals being revised.
Who decides if the scheme goes ahead?
The final design for Newmarket Road will be developed following review of feedback from the public and stakeholders including Cambridgeshire County Council who will be responsible for maintaining the new infrastructure. The decision to proceed to construction will be made by the Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board following the completion of the detailed design and Full Business Case. The relocated Park & Ride is at an earlier stage of development. The decision to proceed with the recommended preferred site will be made by the Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board in 2023 following the completion of the Outline Business Case. If approved, the scheme will progress to preliminary design and a planning application submission. If planning permission is granted, the scheme will then progress to detailed design. The progression through this design and planning stages to construction will include further public and stakeholder engagement and decisions to be made by the Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board at each key milestone.
When will construction start and finish?
At this early project stage, a high-level project programme has been prepared that will be reviewed as the Cambridge Eastern programme progresses in co-ordination with local and city-wide GCP schemes and individual developer construction timescales along Newmarket Road. Currently the main construction work for Newmarket Road is planned to start in 2024, with the works anticipated to take two years to complete. Given the length of the scheme and its importance for local and strategic access, the construction will be delivered in phases to minimise disruption the local residents and existing street users. Construction of the relocated Park & Ride site is programmed for 2026 and is anticipated to take 12 months to complete. This is programmed to take place after the completion of the improvements to Newmarket Road which complement the relocated Park & Ride site. This programme is dependent on gaining planning consent for the scheme by the end of 2024. At the detailed design stages, the contractors will produce more detailed construction and phasing plans to determine the exact phasing and timings of the works. Discussions will also take place with the county councils network management team to book the road space and advertise any required lane and road closures. Temporary roadworks will be required, with local residents and businesses directly affected by the works informed by letter in advance of construction works commencing on site.
What happens after the consultation period?
All feedback received during the public consultation, combined with engagement with project stakeholders will be reviewed by the project team and used to inform the next stage of design for Newmarket Road and the Park & Ride. A summary of the feedback received during this public consultation will be made available online on the GCP website.
Will there be other opportunities to comment on the final detailed designs?
Further consultation will be undertaken on the preliminary design for the relocated and expanded Newmarket Road Park & Ride site and during the formal planning application stages.