It is five years since the current members of ARERA’s committee started campaigning to improve conditions on our road for both residents and road users, including pedestrians.
Since then we have campaigned on a growing number of issues:
- speed restrictions, monitoring and policing
- improving pedestrian safety (via new zebra crossing)
- removal of pavement parking (also to safeguard pedestrians)
- deterring through (commuter) vehicles (to prevent tailbacks and pollution)
- banning heavy goods vehicles (to prevent house shaking)
- completion of cycle paths (as designated County Council ‘priority cycle route’)
- inclusion in Milton Road Area Residents’ Parking Scheme, and
- exclusion of illegal motor vehicle access to Arbury Court Play Area.
Where are we now?
In the most recent instalment of our campaigning, we had an on-street meeting last week with the Chair of the County’s Highways and Transport Committee (H&TC), Alex Beckett, and the County’s Principal Active Travel Officer, Clare Rankin.
We were also joined by Josh Grantham and Anna Wiliams from Camcycle. They worked with us on this year’s unsuccessful bid for a new zebra crossing between Milton Road lights and the North Cambridge Academy (turned down on the grounds of costs).
We discussed all the issues listed above with the H&TC Chair and Principal Active Travel Officer. They said that they understood the problems experienced on Arbury Road east but that action was difficult because:
- this section of the road is very narrow, and
- currently there aren’t any dedicated funds for undertaking the range of works that needs to be done.
Alex Beckett recommended that we keep making our voices heard and that we develop a staged action planfor implementing changes as and when/if money becomes available. Josh Grantham said that Camcycle was willing to work with ARERA on this.
What next?
We recommend that the ARERA committee works with residents (and businesses) in our catchment area who are interested in producing a detailed staged action plan that we can submit to the County’s H&T Committee.
We suggest that we set this process in motion at ARERA’s next AGM.
The current Chair and Secretary have already served on the committee in these posts for the 4 consecutive years allowed by ARERA’s constitution, https://arera.org.uk/about-arera/constitution/
Elections will be held at the next AGM to fill these posts.
If you would like to join the ARERA committee and/or help draw up the action plan for improvements on Arbury Road east, please let us know on info@arera.org.uk.
ARERA AGM: 29th January 2025
7pm at the Baptist Church
More details to follow in the new year
Please let your neighbours know