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Cyclists have been forgotten in new multi-million pound railway station, say Ely campaignersEly railway station

Cyclists have been forgotten in new multi-million pound railway station, say Ely campaigners

Plans described as 'wholly inadequate' for bikes and riders...
by Sarah Barth
Sat, Sep 22, 2012 07:55
3

Multi-million pound plans to redevelop Ely's railway station have a “total lack of cycling provision”, Ely Cycling Campaign has said.

The chairman of the campaign group, Andy Shaw, said members have seen early drawings of the plans and that they are “wholly inadequate” for cyclists.

He told Cambridge News: “Nearly 300 cycle commuters use Ely Station every day. The current station approach is woefully inadequate.

“We have been repeatedly assured by East Cambridgeshire District Council officers that the Station Gateway will solve this issue once and for all.

“However we now find that yet again cycle access has been left out of the plans altogether and there is a total lack of cycling provision within them.

“In summary, these proposals are wholly inadequate from a cycling perspective.”

East Cambridgeshire District Council has denied that the plans rule out cyclists,and says that they are at a very early stage.

Shirley Blake, the district council’s principal sustainable development officer, said the plan is to make the station a “transport interchange”, which will include cyclists.

She said: “One of the key points of this work is to develop the station's potential as a transport interchange – which includes bus, walking, cycling, taxis, cars as well as seeking to reduce traffic congestion in the area to make it easier to walk and cycle."

Drawings of the proposed changes are available to view here.

Railway
Network Rail
Ely
Cambridge

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3 comments

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Darthshearer | 12 years ago
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I have just come back from Berlin and like other Northern European countries there are some many facilities for cycling its untrue.

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AndrewRH | 12 years ago
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Spare a thought for the 'strangled' motorists in Ely who are likely to get 1 mile of bypass (cost: £30.7 million) because of the trains!
see Highways Magazine: Bypass moves a step closer

QUOTED from article (my emphasis added):
Cambridgeshire County Councillor Ian Bates, Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, said: “Ely is a thriving area but currently the route through by the station is strangling traffic flow and the economy and this is set to get worse as the level crossing will be shut for much of the time.

“Getting the right solution is a challenge and involves trying to balance intrusion on the local historic environment while relieving congestion and encouraging growth."

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A V Lowe | 12 years ago
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Only 300 cycle commuters - surely that's just the parked bikes!

Seriously though, informed sources advise that discussions on supply and setting out of cycle parking are part of this process, but as yet Greater Anglia has not set up a Cycling Forum with the same effect as that running for Northern and recently set-up by Merseyrail.

That said Greater Anglia is recruiting folk for general stakeholder panels in the Great Eastern and West Anglia areas so why not sign up.

Alternatively drop me a line or e-mail direct of via CTC and we can work on that Cycle Forum.

If you are also down Cambridge way the last of the 4 types of 2-tier stand has just been installed and you can have the opportunity to try-out some of the popular/long established designs to see what type you would like to see installed.

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