Cycle routes not finished a decade after agreement

Campaigners have questioned why almost a dozen cycle and walking routes remain unfinished - or have not even been started - 10 years after the scheme was agreed.

The "greenway" project, managed by the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP), aims to improve walking and cycling journeys between the city and various towns and villages.

However, since 2016, only one route has been fully completed - from Horningsea - although work has been done on sections of several others.

The GCP said it was opening up the routes in phases.

The greenways were agreed for 12 places - Barton, Bottisham, Comberton, Fulbourn, Haslingfield, Horningsea, Linton, Melbourn, Sawston, St Ives, Swaffham and Waterbeach.

Campaign group Finish the Greenways is calling on the GCP to do exactly that; finish them.

Chris Howell, from the group, said the progress was "very" disappointing.

"It's time to really speed things up, get the whole programme delivered and set a date when we can expect all 11 [other routes] to be open."

He said he believed getting the consent of landowners to build the routes had been one of the obstacles.

Howell has called on the GCP to revisit the original plans for the greenways and "deliver more of what was promised, because what was promised was really, really good... and publish an end-date".

The GCP said it was opening the routes in phases "so people can start benefiting from completed sections as soon as possible, rather than waiting for entire routes to be finished".

"We are making progress across the greenways programme," a spokesperson said.

They pointed out that last week, the GCP's executive board approved plans for the Bottisham and Swaffham greenways.

Construction on Bottisham was due to start in January, they added.

They also said the following sections had been completed:

• Adams Road - part of Comberton greenway
• Meldreth and Shepreth station links - part of Melbourn greenway
• Cowley Road - part of Waterbeach greenway

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