England's first 'cycle street,' designed to prioritize cyclists and pedestrians over motorists, has been temporarily closed for remedial work on its road markings less than three months after its opening. The project, located on Adams Road in Cambridge, has incurred costs of up to £2.4 million.
The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP), the entity behind the initiative, announced the closure for approximately two weeks, starting August 10. The work is being carried out because "it became clear some of the road markings were not up to the required standards" during a routine quality assurance check. The GCP stated that their contractor, M Group, is responsible for the remedial work and will bear the cost.
During the closure, which extends until August 21, 'routine checks' and 'remedial work' will be conducted to improve the road markings. Pedestrian and cyclist access will remain unaffected, and vehicle access for residents and businesses within the closure area will be maintained. Access to Wilberforce Road sports facilities will also not be impacted.
The cycle street, which opened on May 29, has drawn criticism, with some labeling it an 'extraordinary waste of money.' These criticisms intensified in June when a report revealed that the road's daily cyclist usage was approximately half of what was initially stated by the GCP. The partnership had claimed the road was 'already used by more than 3,000 cyclists daily,' but manual counts in 2022 and 2026 indicated usage closer to 1,500 cyclists per day.
Critics have questioned the allocation of funds, with some suggesting the money could be better used for other infrastructure needs, such as pothole repairs. Detractors have also pointed out that similar schemes might not be feasible on narrower or more hazardous roads.
Delowar Hossain, a Conservative councillor, previously described the project as an 'extraordinary waste of money.'
The cycle street was developed with the stated aim of enhancing safety for cyclists and pedestrians through measures such as narrowing the road, removing on-street parking, widening footpaths, raising crossings, and reconfiguring junctions. However, past figures indicated a low number of collisions involving bicycles on the road in recent years.
