Action on Transport

What we've done so far

• employed the Council's first dedicated cycling/walking officer to promote these modes and to improve their safety and convenience, with a ring-fenced capital budget for rapid improvements
• created lock-up cycle parking facilities at Park Street car park
• created the Council's first budget for the support of public transport in the city, both through direct subsidy to operators and through contributing to infrastructure and facilities. We have used this budget to introduce

- evening bus services on Stagecoach citi routes
- the late night "nightbus"
- a Sunday Park & Ride service to complement changes in Sunday car park prices
- the Addenbrookes to Trumpington Park and Ride service
- provision of additional information at bus stops
• introduced major new budgets for traffic calming schemes, pedestrian crossings, pavement maintenance and dropped kerbs, all increasing safety for cyclists, walkers and the disabled
• increased support for community transport initiatives such as Dial-a-Ride by offering secure and increased levels of funding
• worked closely with the County Council to improve traffic management in the city
• at car parks:

- developed a price structure for off-street car parks aimed at increasing customer choice and reducing air and noise pollution from queuing traffic
- introduced convenient payment systems
- created an improved user assistance service including direct phone links from car parks to the control room
- completed the major refurbishment programme at Park Street

In 2003-4 all these spending programmes will continue, and new budgets will enable us to progress important new transport initiatives:

• a range of new bus measures which we hope will include on-street ticketing facilities
• important short and long term decisions about bus provision in the city centre, including possible relocation of some functions to the railway station
• seeking powers to put parking enforcement, especially in bus and cycle lanes, under local control
• improved security and lighting as part of a major refurbishment of Queen Anne Terrace car park
• a trial of credit card payment at one of the Grafton Centre car park
• further traffic calming and pedestrian crossings
• improved publicity and information about public transport

This means giving high priority to non-car modes and planning for a deliverable, high quality, integrated public transport system, including a rapid transit element.

Demand management measures including congestion charging for commuting from outside Cambridge will be under consideration for the longer term to prevent predicted growth in commuter traffic from clogging up the city.