Mill road Cambridge Bridge shut in 2019

[whittlesfordok]

Main story in the Cambridge Independent that the Mill road bridge in Cambridge is being adjusted to put in an extra line for new services. And is going to be shut in 2019 for some time. Can’t see anything online yet so can anyone tell me more?

 

[eastdyke]

Main story in the Cambridge Independent that the Mill road bridge in Cambridge is being adjusted to put in an extra line for new services. And is going to be shut in 2019 for some time. Can’t see anything online yet so can anyone tell me more?

Do you have a link for that please?

 

[whittlesfordok]

Do you have a link for that please?

No I have looked online but the Cambridge Independant site does not the current edition online

 

[eastdyke]

No I have looked online but the Cambridge Independant site does not the current edition online

Ah - sorry thanks. Was the story relating mainly to road disruption or rail improvements?

 

[whittlesfordok]

Ah - sorry thanks. Was the story relating mainly to road disruption or rail improvements?

Mainly of course the road closure! Although stopping cars going down Mill road might be a good idea!

 

[eastdyke]

Mainly of course the road closure! Although stopping cars going down Mill road might be a good idea!

Cheers. Quite a few will agree with that

 

[jopsuk]

The Planning Application can be found here

Mainly it's to modify the arches on the east side of the bridge for a new siding for a wash plant capable of taking a 12-car 700 or a 10-car 720, plus access for the Chisholm Trail.

Trouble is that whilst many indeed would see closing Mill Road to motor traffic as a good thing, Network Rail want 8 weeks of total closure, saying that the Carter Bridge is close enough for a pedestrian and cycling diversion- in reality it's over 1km diversion, which is significant for pedestrians.

The traders though only seem to care about motor traffic, which is odd given that between Coleridge Road and East Road there are all of six parking spots on Mill Road, all on the east side of the bridge- trade from passing motorists can hardly be that significant, though of course taxi and private hire drivers tend not to believe that double yellow lines or double yellow kerb marks (ie a Loading ban- or single yellow for timed loading bans) apply to them.

 

[whittlesfordok]

The Planning Application can be found here

Mainly it's to modify the arches on the east side of the bridge for a new siding for a wash plant capable of taking a 12-car 700 or a 10-car 720, plus access for the Chisholm Trail.

Trouble is that whilst many indeed would see closing Mill Road to motor traffic as a good thing, Network Rail want 8 weeks of total closure, saying that the Carter Bridge is close enough for a pedestrian and cycling diversion- in reality it's over 1km diversion, which is significant for pedestrians.

The traders though only seem to care about motor traffic, which is odd given that between Coleridge Road and East Road there are all of six parking spots on Mill Road, all on the east side of the bridge- trade from passing motorists can hardly be that significant, though of course taxi and private hire drivers tend not to believe that double yellow lines or double yellow kerb marks (ie a Loading ban- or single yellow for timed loading bans) apply to them.

I agree with the cycle waking diversion is a big distance and will hurt the shops.

 

[eastdyke]

The Planning Application can be found here
....

Thanks! I see that the Conservation and Urban Design sections are not at all keen on the canopy protection for the staff steps!

 

[jopsuk]

For those in Cambridge, Network Rail will be presenting the plans and taking public questions at East Area Committee tonight, from 7pm at Abbey Meadows Primary School.

 

[ac6000cw]

Although stopping cars going down Mill road might be a good idea!

It's been tried before, some years ago - it caused such congestion/extra traffic on the alternative routes (as well as the adverse impact on the traders on Mill Road) that it was abandoned after a few months...

In reality, Mill Road is usually such a slow way to get anywhere that most sensible drivers in Cambridge (me included) avoid using it unless going to somewhere on or adjacent to it.

 

[slouch152]

For those in Cambridge, Network Rail will be presenting the plans and taking public questions at East Area Committee tonight, from 7pm at Abbey Meadows Primary School.

Update: apparently not...

https://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=147&MId=3511&Ver=4

Mill Road Bridge Presentation - ITEM HAS BEEN CANCELLED

This item has been cancelled.


The Cambridge Capacity Upgrade Project Team feel it would be more beneficial to have a focus group session where there is no limit on time and have key individuals available to respond to all questions and concerns.


A dedicated Cambridge Capacity upgrade meeting with the key East Area committee councillorsand a community focus group to discuss and answer any queries or concerns about the scheme will be planned and dates will be advertised in due course.

 

[Steve Harris]

The traders though only seem to care about motor traffic, which is odd given that between Coleridge Road and East Road there are all of six parking spots on Mill Road, all on the east side of the bridge- trade from passing motorists can hardly be that significant, though of course taxi and private hire drivers tend not to believe that double yellow lines or double yellow kerb marks (ie a Loading ban- or single yellow for timed loading bans) apply to them.

Your obviously forgetting about the car park behind the Co-op and the one in Great Eastern Street. Also on the city side of the bridge you have Gwydir Street car park. Admittedly these are not on Mill Road itself but are mear metres away from Mill Road. So a tad more than just 6 spots available for use.

 

[eastdyke]

Main story in the Cambridge Independent that the Mill road bridge in Cambridge is being adjusted to put in an extra line for new services. And is going to be shut in 2019 for some time. Can’t see anything online yet so can anyone tell me more?

The piece has now found its way to the internet!
http://www.cambridgeindependent.co....-road-bridge-closure-alarms-traders-1-5732261

Two month Mill Road Bridge closure alarms traders
Mill Road traders fear closure of the bridge for railway works

An upgrade to the railway line means Mill Road Bridge will be closed to traffic in May next year to enable work on the arches under the bridge, effectively shutting one of the routes into the city.

Mill Road Traders Association ambassador, Piero D’Angelico, said: “I don’t know if my shop will be here next year because after this happens it’s going to be dead.

“Morale is already really low about this news. There’s so many stressful things happening in the area every day - we have lots of people shoplifting, there is crime on the street, shops are already struggling to survive because of the losses they have and the new station has reduced footfall. So, this closure is going to finish us off. It looks like Mill Road is becoming a dead end. The local authority is not listening to us.

“It’s just one extra problem. I don’t even know what to say any more. They don’t understand how difficult the street has become. ”

A city council meeting of the East Area Committee will be held on Thursday evening (October 11) at 7pm in Abbey Meadows community Primary School where members of the public can view the plans and hear from rail operators about the proposed works.

Council documents say an additional rail line is required by Network Rail, and to facilitate this a section of the existing bridge, approximately 20 metres long will have to be removed effectively closing the road. This will be replaced by a new section of bridge which will allow trains to pass underneath. The proposed closure dates are May 13 to July 8, 2019.

A spokesperson for Govia Thameslink Railway said: “On Thursday we will be briefing local councillors about a £30 million extension of Cambridge railway depot to help increase the number of Thameslink services to and from the City. This investment will improve cross-London rail links to and from Cambridge from places as far afield as Brighton and Gatwick Airport, boosting the local economy.

“To realise these long-term benefits there will be unavoidable short-term disruption and we will be working closely with the council to mitigate this as much as possible.”

At the meeting there will be a video followed by a presentation. The council’s agenda also says there will be an opportunity for a Q & A session about the ‘major works on the railway assets to increase stabling capacity for trains will be taking place’.

It adds that Mill Road Bridge will be closed for ‘some weeks’ but that work also that a section of The Chisholm Trail, a cycle route, will be delivered.

Ward councillor Richard Robertson said: “

I think it is essential that we can’t have the road closed completely for more than a few days. I’m very concerned about the impact on residents and traders on Mill Road. I think there should be some consultation on this to see if people would prefer to have a longer period of disruption but not completely close the road. I want to find out whether we could have one way traffic with traffic lights over the bridge during the works. I’m concerned there may be a serious impact on some traders’ finances.”

 

[Ianno87]

It's been tried before, some years ago - it caused such congestion/extra traffic on the alternative routes (as well as the adverse impact on the traders on Mill Road) that it was abandoned after a few months...

In reality, Mill Road is usually such a slow way to get anywhere that most sensible drivers in Cambridge (me included) avoid using it unless going to somewhere on or adjacent to it.

When I need to drive into Cambridge on a Saturday/Sunday (which I try to avoid doing like the plague in general) - Mill Rd is faster than the traffic shambles that is Newmarket Rd! Weekdays Mill Rd is definitely slower usually.

I think it does indeed provide a bit of a traffic 'safety valve' for those in the know - closing that particular part will be noticeable.

 

[MikePJ]

I live within walking distance of Mill Road and cycle along it to go to work. It was temporarily closed for a couple of days a few weeks ago when a sinkhole opened up outside the Co-op (on the corner of Catherine St), and the city didn't grind to a halt. Temporary traffic lights, however, cause a massive disruption. I know some local pressure groups would like to see the bridge permanently closed to motor vehicles apart from buses.

 

[camflyer]

It's been tried before, some years ago - it caused such congestion/extra traffic on the alternative routes (as well as the adverse impact on the traders on Mill Road) that it was abandoned after a few months...

In reality, Mill Road is usually such a slow way to get anywhere that most sensible drivers in Cambridge (me included) avoid using it unless going to somewhere on or adjacent to it.

I try to avoid driving anywhere near Mill Road, especially on dark evenings as there are so many cyclists around (many without lights) that it is impossible to drive a more than a few mph without wiping a few of them out. It's especially bad at this time of year with the new influx of students. Despite being some of the brightest of their age, many still think they are immortal when on two wheels.

 

[Ianno87]

I try to avoid driving anywhere near Mill Road, especially on dark evenings as there are so many cyclists around (many without lights) that it is impossible to drive a more than a few mph without wiping a few of them out. It's especially bad at this time of year with the new influx of students. Despite being some of the brightest of their age, many still think they are immortal when on two wheels.

Driving along it, the best strategy is just be patient and sit behind cyclists until you've definitely got a good, clear gap in traffic and cycles coming the other way. If you make effort to overtake a bike, you often just end up being re-overtaken a few metres further on anyway by the next right turner/set of lights.

Cycling behaviour I generally find to be OK on Mill Road (the odd idiot, of course. And at this time of year being wary of Mr and Mrs No Lights), but there's more commonly some moronic driving too as well (well exceeding the 20mph limit, close passes of bikes, etc.)

 

[edwin_m]

It may be the passing cycle traffic the traders are more concerned about. The optimum cycle diversion would leave and rejoin some distance before and after the railway bridge so as to take the quickest route to and from the most convenient open bridge (for most this will be the cycle-only bridge north of the station). Thus shops within a few hundred metres either side will lose much of their passing cycle traffic as well as cars.

From what I remember of Mill Road it's far too narrow to be safe for both cars and cycles at the same time. And that was 30 years ago so it's probably far worse today.