Much has been happening over the summer that will have significant impacts on Arbury Road East.
Decisions about whether a new zebra crossing will provided, under the Local Highways Improvement Programme (LHIP), and about the implementation of the Milton Road Area Residents Park Scheme, are imminent.
These decisions will be made at two meetings of the County Council’s Highways and Transport Committee (H&TC) to be held during the first week of October.
We have been trying to get access to the agenda papers for these two meetings to find out what is being proposed.
We were treated kindly by the Cambridge Joint Area Committee when we were invited in July to make submissions to it in support of our LHIP submission. But we have been unable to discover what recommendation it made about our proposed zebra cross to the H&TC which is going to make a decision about on October 1st. We have been told that no minutes of the CJAC meeting were made.
At a separate meeting, the CJAC recommended acceptance of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s (GCP) proposals for our area’s residents parking scheme, despite the 288 objections made about it.
And this recommendation was made by the committee despite the public statement given our former councillor Jocelynne Scutt, who was the chair of the CJAC at the time of the GCP’s ‘consultation’ on the scheme in 2022. She publicly stated, as we consistently maintained, that the GCP had not provided information making clear that the north (even numbers side) of Arbury Road East would be excluded from the parking scheme.
The CJAC is recommending to the H&TC that the six-month trial of parking scheme, as described in the Traffic Regulation Order published in the Spring, should go ahead with the provisos that:
1. a detailed evaluation should be made of the scheme at the end of the trial period
And
2. an online channel of communications should be set up so that residents and businesses can log their experiences during the trial,
ARERA has requested that the evaluation and the communications channel should be provided by independent third parties because of the GCP’s dire performance to date in relation to the parking scheme.
This all sounds very bureaucratic – because it is.
But this won’t make the consequences of decisions about to be taken any the less significant for those of us who live and work on Arbury Road East.
We will let you know when the committee papers for the two H&T committee meetings next month become available – in case you want to make your own representations to the committees.
And we will let you know the outcomes of the decisions the two meetings make as soon as they become available.
Traffic counting equipment on Arbury Road East
You may have noticed the traffic counting equipment that has been installed outside the North Cambridge Academy.
We have put in a request to the County Council’s Highways Department asking what the purpose of this data collection is and how any data collected will be used.
If and when we get a reply, we will let you know.
County Council answers to questions about how proposed Residents’ Parking Scheme will affect Arbury Road east.
On March 18th, the County Council published a Traffic Regulation Order. This reveals how the County’s Residents’ proposed Residents’ Parking Scheme will affect those who live, work and travel to school along Arbury Road east.
The ARERA committee submitted more than 20 questions to the County Council asking for clarification about what it is planning to do.
Implementation of the scheme is being managed by the Greater Cambridge Partnership. The County’s Policy and Regulation team asked the Greater Cambridge Partnership to provide the additional information requested. The GCP’s project manager for the scheme has done so, leaving one question unanswered, see below.
The answers that have been given make clear that what is being done is the result, not of mistakes or oversights, but of deliberate policy decisions. These decisions will advantage some and disadvantage others. Which of these two groups will you find yourself in?
Are you personally going to be disadvantaged? Or can you see that others will be – including children going to school, pedestrians, cyclists and car owners, those shopping or working on Arbury Road east?
If so, you only have a short opportunity to make objections to, or comment on, what is being proposed.
Comments and objections have to be submitted by April 12th.
You can do this, quoting reference PR0998,
online using https://consultation.appyway.com/cambridge
or by email to Policy.andRegulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
or by writing to Gary Baldwin at the County’s Policy and Regulation Team*
* Box No. DBE, Huntingdon Highways Depot, Stanton Way, Huntingdon, PE29 6PY>
Here is the additional information provided by the County Council.
Important news about the Residents Parking Scheme for Arbury Road East
Residents and businesses on Arbury Road East – and its tributaries – need to be aware of what is imminently about to happen in the implementation of permit-based ‘Residents Parking’ on our road.
Adoption of this has been progressing very slowly through a very bureaucratic process. This process is about to reach a critical point – the issuing of a Traffic Regulation Order. This will offer you a short, time-limited, last chance to object, if you want to, to what is being proposed.
The Greater Cambridge Partnership has finished its consultations on Residents Parking Scheme for the Milton Road Area which includes Arbury Road East as part of the Hurst Park area. The GCP has passed its scheme to the Cambridgeshire County Council which has to make the final decision about whether it should be implemented, as the statutory highways authority. Before the scheme can go ahead, a Traffic Regulation Order must be issued.
As Lynne Miles, the City Access Director for the GCP, advises in the information she has provided to the Residents Associations concerned, this TRO could be issued “in the next few weeks”, see attached pdf.
The County Council explains the legal basis and purpose of TROs on its website, https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/traffic-regulation-orders
The relevant information in our case would appear to be that:
“Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) are legal documents that enable us as the local highway authority to prohibit, restrict or reduce the use of a road by traffic. This includes motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. We implement TROs in line with:
· The Road Traffic R
· egulations Act 1984
· The Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996
Measures we can bring in using TROs include:
· Road or public right of way closures
· Speed limits
· On-street parking
· Waiting, loading and unloading areas and time limits
· Single and double yellow lines
· One-way streets
· Access and turning
· Prohibition of certain types of vehicles
· Width, height and weight restrictions
· Bus and cycle lanes
· Taxi ranks.”
Once you have seen the scheme set out in the TRO, if you want to, you can object to what it contains.
“Any person may object to a TRO. The traffic authority is obliged to consider such objections (and, if a public inquiry is held, the Inspector’s recommendations) before deciding whether or not to make the order”, see https://www.highwayengineer.co.uk/downloads/traffic-regulation-orders.pdf
You can find out more about TROs by contacting the County Council’s Policy and Regulation Team by email at policyandregulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
As yet, it is unclear how the imposition of permits for residents parking might impact on our Local Highways Improvement bid for another zebra crossing on Arbury Road East. We have requested further information on this and will keep members posted.
ARERA AGM Invitation Reminder
Arbury Road East Residents Association
AGM, Wednesday, 5th July 2023
Arbury Baptist Church Hall, 7.00-8.30 pm
- Introduction and Welcome
- Approval of the Minutes of the 2022 AGM
- Chair’s Report
- Treasurer’s Report and accounts
- Q&A
- Election of Committee and Officers for 2023/4
- Proposed expenditure and collection
- AOB
- Jim Smith’s illustrated local history talk
From Milton Road to Arbury Camp: The History of Hurst Park and Arbury Road
 |  |
We will try to complete the formal business of the AGM in 30 minutes to allow plenty of time for Jim’s talk and any questions you may have for him.
If you do want to nominate yourself or someone else as a committee member, please use the contact link below.
And, if you have any issue you want to raise under AOB, please do so before the meeting
again using the contact below.
Consultation meeting announcement
Milestone / GCP monthly consultation on Milton Road Improvements
The next meeting has been confirmed as on Monday 6th March. Again from 11am to 12.30pm at Milton Library meeting room
———————————————————————————————————-
Here is a summary of the first meeting, held on Friday 3rd February from 11am to 12.30pm.
Last minute reschedule
Present up to 10 local residents
3 members of Milestone contractors include Jake and Naomi
These sessions were planned for their site at Woodhead Drive but they ended up restricted on office space so last minute changes to Library and on the Friday 3rd.
Tom Porter (who took over as Project Manager from Paul van de Bulk) from GCP couldn’t make!!!
So lots of questions for Tom next time.
This meeting was advertised as a drop in session but more of a discussion round a table, so worth being there from the start really.
More regular updates of work being done and closures etc were asked for on public noticeboards – they promised to get back on this to help with finding suitable sites.
The issue was raised about the closure of the pedestrian/cycle route through Oak Tree Ave – they will try and improve the signage at the Elizabeth Way pedestrian crossing.
They were also asked if they could have some “live” information about the buses -it seems unlikely this will happen, but the timetable is still “live” on the old Union Lane bus stop – though it was hard to get across the road to read it!
They have been informed that a lot of people want the modal filter on Union Lane to remain. They already knew this!
They were asked about the future for Arbury Road – it will have a similar system as Union Lane when the work is done on the northern side of Milton Road. Official diversion will be via Kings Hedges Road – but there will be nothing to stop locals using Hurst Park Ave rat run, as at present.
Pothole filling still responsibility of highways dept. Even within roadworks like outside library. Milestone say they are reporting them daily too. There has been filling in subsequently but poor standard.
Much discussion about the status of GCP and its undemocratic set up.
Also about who is liable when accidents occur, as there have been, particularly cycling related.
Your experience of the temporary road closure
Results of Union Lane survey
 | In January, we surveyed residents of Union Lane. We asked you about your experience of having the road closed to through traffic due to the Milton Road improvement works. We distributed 100 survey forms to residents whose front doors open directly on to Union Lane. We got 21 replies. Here Is what you told us. |
The results show consistently divided opinion about whether specific conditions imposed by the closure have been an improvement or not. Despite this, two thirds of you would like to see the closure made permanent.
Almost all of you (6 out of 7) think that Union Lane has been quieter than usual and more pleasant to live on during the road closure. Nearly two-thirds you of told us that traffic using Union Lane has been going more slowly than usual. Less than a third you said that it hadn’t. Almost all of you suggested that the number of cars and other vehicles using Union Lane has been reduced during the construction work.
Almost all of you reported that the road closure has made it more difficult to access your homes on foot. Three quarters of you didn’t know whether it has made it more difficult for those using mobility scooters, with none one suggesting that it has. Almost all of you (again out of 7) said that the road closure has not made it more difficult access your home by bicycle. Nearly two thirds of you reported that it has made it more difficult to access your home by car. But nearly a third said it hasn’t. More than a third of you said that the road closure hasn’t made it more difficult for delivery vehicles to access your homes. But a third said it has. The rest of you don’t know whether it has or not.
Nearly three quarters of you said that you have found using Union Lane safer during the closure for construction work. Only two of you reported that it was more dangerous. Almost a fifth of you don’t know. Almost two-thirds of you reported that you have found it easier and more pleasant to walk and cycle to Milton and Chesterton Roads. Only a minority reported that it isn’t. You were almost equally divided about whether arrangements put in place for crossing Milton Road have been satisfactory. Just over half of you suggested that they have: slightly less than half that they haven’t.
About three-fifths of you suggested that the modal filter closing Union Lane has had an effect on your regular car journeys, making them longer: just under two-fifths reported that it hasn’t. But over two-thirds of you told us you have been able to find a reasonable alternative route for you regular car journey while just under a third said you haven’t.
Just over half of you reported that you haven’t walked or used a bike more frequently while the modal filter has been in place, with just over a third saying you have. Just over three-fifths of you judged that the modal filter has had a positive effect on parking on Union Lane but a third of you disagree.
 | Despite the differences reported above, two thirds of you would like the modal filter at the Milton Road end of Union Lane to become permanent. A third of you wouldn’t. If you feel strongly about whether the modal filter should stay or not, let your local councillors know, see https://arera.org.uk/local-democracy/ for contact details |
If you want to contact us, go to https://arera.org.uk/contact-arera/
Update about timing of Milestone/GCP meetings for local residents to raise issues about the Milton Road improvement works
The GCP and Milestone have changed the date for their Drop-in meetings for local residents.
These will now be held on the first Monday of the month 11-12.30 at Milton Road Library.
These meeting are an an easy opportunity for you to raise any issue you have about the Milton Road improvement works.
At the last meeting, Milestone agreed that they would:
- provide some noticeboards to keep people informed about bus stops, road closures etc
- improve the signage for pedestrians and cyclists on the Elizabeth Way access to Oak Tree Avenue
While vehicle access from Milton Road is limited by their works, please note that there is a passageway between Union Lane and Oak Tree Ave which joins the latter at the right-angle corner and enables safe pedestrian access to Milton Road via a safe crossing point.
Consultation by Cambridge City Council on what you think it should cut in its budget
| In case you haven’t seen it, here is a ’new year’ notice circulated to us by the local Lib Dems ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1st of January 2023 As Christmas turns to New Year, Cambridge City Council is approaching some controversial decisions in its budget. At risk of disturbing your festivities, I wanted to alert you to some of these – as there is an opportunity for residents to express their point of view before decisions are taken. Three items we have singled out are: Closing Public Toilets These are an essential, if not glamorous aspect of what a council provides – because no-one else will! Labour councillors want to close the conveniences on Quayside (the only ones on the west side of the city centre), Chesterton Road (without any plan to improve the inadequate block on Jesus Green nearby) and Mill Road (where there are no nearby alternatives). They also want to limit opening to weekends on the recreation grounds at Chesterton, Coleridge, Romsey and Midsummer Common. In a city which thrives from its shoppers and visitors, how come public loos are such a low priority that when cutbacks are in the air, they come to the fore? Apart from their use to everyone on occasion, public loos are especially important to the elderly, pregnant mothers, those with disabilities, parents of small children and those making full use of public open spaces. Reducing the Environmental Enforcement Team Where there are rules for the benefit of the community, there needs to be an effort to enforce them – or they don’t get taken seriously. This applies to dropping litter, fly tipping, controlling dogs in public places, lighting BBQs on the grass, punt touting and commercial ‘A’ Boards on pavements. Few could claim these are all well under control, but Labour’s proposal is to reduce the officers from 7 to 6 and have those remaining only patrolling in pairs. When you take account of the size of the city and the need for weekend and summer evening patrols, we can expect only negligible attention anywhere – including where we need it locally and across the rest of the city! This is another core council responsibility: cutting it back is sure to result in lower standards. Discontinuing the ‘Big Weekend’ This free annual summer event on Parker’s Piece brings the whole city together in a way little else does. The way it integrates and celebrates the city’s Asian community through the ‘Mela’ is especially valuable. It is natural for the cost of the event to come under scrutiny in times like these, but it seems shortsighted simply to abandon it, without a serious attempt to seek sponsorship for it, or failing that, to commercialise it whilst avoiding high cost entry. If you feel more thought is needed before these measures are agreed, please say so in the council’s consultation survey – focusing on Question 10. But do act now, as the opportunity closes on January 10th at noon. Go to: https://cambridge.citizenlab.co/en-GB/projects/draft-budget-2023-24 |
GCP Making Connections Consultation
It’s not too late to make your response to the latest GCP consultation – the one which many people think is just about the congestion charge proposals, but is really about improving the way we all live and work together.
The deadline is midday on 23 December.
The attached link will take you to a guide to the consultation provided by the Cambridgeshire Sustainable Travel Alliance
https://cambstravelalliance.org/gcp-making-connections-consultation-guide/
Whatever you think about the proposals it is really important to have your say. Alternative suggestions to the congestion charge will be welcomed, as will your views on buses, cycling, walking, pollution hot spots etc. This really is your chance to make your views known!
To complete the survey click
https://tinyurl.com/STZ-survey
Please make sure that your voice gets heard.
ARERA Committee