Important walking/cycle link closed, poor diversion, terrible signage

Highways England have decided to close the busway track under the A14 in Cambridge. Initially now for 2 weeks, but we hear rumours of an 8-week closure later in the year.

Problems:

• The first thing that many people seem to have known about this is finding their usual route to work blocked: there has been no communication, let alone consultation.
• There is no signage about the blockage except right next to it. This is bad, because this is a very important link that affects routes for miles around.
• Even when you get up to the blockage, the signs are rather poor.
• The diversionary route is too long. For a pedestrian, a 15 minute walk is turned into a half hour diversion, making many previously easy journeys hopelessly impractical (for example, Cambridge Regional College to Histon high street).
• The diversionary route is very poorly signed
• The diversionary route involves crossing a big road without any useful traffic lights.
• The diversionary route is very bitty: many many traffic lights, junctions, corners, and so on, which is a nuisance for anyone cycling.

Summary of the diversion

Overall, the extra distance is 2.7km and has an additional 9 traffic lights. One is out use meaning you have to take your life in your hands crossing at a junction where the motor vehicles have a green light.

The extra time for a pedestrian is probably about 30 minutes, replacing a 15 minute walk. For a cyclist, a pleasant 4-5 minute link, covering most of the distance between the Science Park and Histon, becomes a 15 minute odyssey.

References:

• Cambridge Cycling Campaign blog entry
• Cycling UK Cambridge (aka CTC Cambridge) blog entry
• Stagecoach page where actual dates appear

From Histon, in pictures

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