Mill Road bridge bus gate recommended for approval as slim majority give support

Mill Road bridge, Cambridge
-Credit: (Image: LDR)


A bus gate on Mill Road bridge will be recommended for approval at a Cambridgeshire County Council meeting after a slim majority supported the proposals in a consultation. A Highways and Transport Committee meeting will decide whether the bridge will be closed to most vehicles on Friday (October 4).

Just over half (53 percent) of the 4,072 respondents to the consultation said they would support the introduction of a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) that would see Mill Road bridge closed to all vehicles except buses, bicycles, emergency service vehicles, taxis and blue badge holders. The TRO was opposed by 46.5 percent of respondents, while just 0.6 percent said they were 'neutral'.

Cambridgeshire County Council officers have recommended that the TRO be approved. If councillors approve the TRO, work to implement the bus gate could start in November and be completed by early December.

The officers' report, which will be discussed at the meeting on Friday, said: "Mill Road's use as an alternative route to the ring road for through traffic, combined with local use and the volume of cyclists and pedestrians, causes significant congestion at times, resulting in concerns over road safety. This high volume of traffic often causes conflict between motorised vehicles and pedestrians and cyclists, resulting in an unpleasant environment for all."

Objections to the TRO included the impact on traffic and congestion on alternative routes, the impact on local businesses and residents, and accessibility concerns. Comments supporting the TRO cited safety improvements, active travel benefits, traffic reduction, and benefits to businesses.

If approved, traffic restrictions would be enforced by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras with owners of non-exempt vehicles using the bridge sent a fine. The officers' report said: "There would be a period of 28 days when non-exempt vehicles would receive warning notices with a zero charge."

You can see the agenda and documents for the Highways and Transport Committee meeting here.