New route for Cambs walking and cycling ‘greenway’ after flooding …
Proposals for a revised walking and cycling route between Waterbeach and Cambridge North station[1] are going out to consultation this autumn. It comes after plans for the Waterbeach Greenway went back to the drawing board because of fears over flooding.
Originally, the Greenway would have passed through Milton Country Park and over the A14[2]. The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP), which is leading the scheme, said “detailed work” had revealed this route “would have been at much higher risk of flooding, significantly raising the scheme’s cost and impacting the environment”.
Under the new proposals, the Greenway would run from Waterbeach[3] south behind the A10 and through the village of Milton to Cambridge North railway station. “The Board agreed the original route offered poor value-for-money and a consultation should be held on the proposed new route, which could be completed by 2026,” said the GCP.
A report to the Greater Cambridge Partnership[6] Executive Board states: “The proposal to change the alignment on the Waterbeach Greenway is predicated on the need to provide better connectivity between GCP schemes. It is also based on the outcome of recent investigations that highlights significant difficulty in delivering the Waterbeach Greenway along the previously agreed route that follows the railway line.
“Further investigation of the previous Greenway alignment has determined that the route would be subject to significant flooding and would require an extensive embankment. It would also present a big impact on the environment as large drainage ditches would be required … on balance it is considered that continuing with the original alignment would not offer value for money.”
The GCP said information about the consultation will be published “in due course” on its website[7] and ConsultCambs. Thomas Fitzpatrick, GCP’s Head of Programme, said: “We plan to consult residents in the autumn on the new Waterbeach Greenway route which would better connect people to work, school, transport hubs and other destinations in Waterbeach, Milton and the city, while also being more affordable to deliver than the original plan.”
References
- ^ Cambridge North station (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ A14 (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ Waterbeach (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ Two Cambridge transport projects paused as construction costs spiral (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ The major projects that could transform Cambridge over the next 20 years (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ Greater Cambridge Partnership (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ its website (www.greatercambridge.org.uk)