Posted on Friday 13 March 2020
Unfortunately due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) we have decided to postpone this year's AGM until further notice. We will reschedule the meeting at a later date and contact our members by email and leaflet.
Posted on Wednesday 26 February 2020
Tuesday 17 March 2020, Doors Open 6:30pm
Milton Road Library, Ascham Road CB4 2BD
Do come to a short AGM, then hear a progress report on
Histon Road and the latest plans for Milton Road by the Greater Cambridge Partnership project manager Paul
van de Bulk.
Plus, Andrew Milburn and John Latham will update us about proposals for developing the sewage farm with
9,000 homes
and why it matters to us.
Apologies for absence
Minutes of the AGM on 23 April 2019
Matters arising
Chairman’s brief report
Treasurer’s report
Election of Committee and Officers
then
A report by Andrew Milbourn and John Latham about the plans for the development of the sewage farm and why it matters to us;
and
An update by Paul van de Bulk, the Project Manager, about the works on Histon Road and the latest plans for Milton Road.
Posted on Thursday 18 April 2019
6.45-8.30pm, Tuesday 23 April 2019
Parish Room, St Laurence’s Church, 91 Milton Road CB4 1XB
Thank you to everyone who has helped us improve the original Greater Cambridge Partnership proposal for Milton Road. It was to have been hedge to hedge tarmac and is now a greener, pedestrian and cyclist friendly plan.
Come and find out more about where we are now over a piece of cake and a cup of tea at our AGM.
Apologies for absence
Minutes of the AGM on 5 December 2017
Matters arising
Chairman’s report – the main part of the meeting
Treasurer’s report
Election of Committee and Officers
The meeting minutes from last year's AGM can be found here: https://www.miltonroadra.org/static/files/MRRA-minutes-05-12-17.pdf
Posted on Wednesday 6 February 2019
MRRA are pleased to hear that after the consultation several positive changes have been made. The workshop highlighted some of these items for discussion before the public Local Liaison Forum on 18 February. The resulting plans will be passed to the Greater Cambridge Joint Assembly for discussion before the Executive Board makes the decision which will lead to the roadworks starting at the end of 2019.
Below are the main points that were raised.
There will be a new crossing north of Westbrook Drive.
The floating bus stop in Mitcham's Corner has been moved to avoid a driveway. The cycle lane now has a protective kerb leading up to Gilbert Road junction heading outbound. As a result they are now proposing a signal-protected cycle lane phase at Gilbert Road.
The inbound cycleway at Mitcham’s Corner appears to be fully protected and segregated. It is now between the path and parking areas and is protected by a buffer zone. Bays outside the shops will now be available for parking divided by landscaping including trees to be in keeping with the rest of Milton Road. There is also parking available behind the shops.
It is still not clear what will happen at Mitcham's Corner junction where the scheme ends in a big question mark.
There will be a new layout at the Gilbert Road junction which had not been finalised at the workshop.
There will be a new landscaped area near Ascham Road with different road surfaces to encourage drivers to be careful. Part of the bus lane will be removed to allow for segregated cycling and walking. The large tree at Chesterton Hall crescent will be kept and properly landscaped. There will be seating and public art.
There will be a bus lane outbound from just before Hurst Park avenue to Highworth Roundabout
The plans include a shared stretch for walking and cycling between Highworth Avenue and Ascham Road to ensure schoolchildren at Milton Road primary school do not have to cross the road twice in quick succession.
There was a lot of negative response in the consultation to the design of Highworth Avenue roundabout to accommodate two HGVs side by side, leaving little room for cyclists and pedestrians. The width of the roadway has now been reduced leaving more room for segregated walking and cycling.
The bus stops between Highworth Avenue and Arbury Road have been relocated. The private forecourts of the shops there will be re-dressed and there will be some soft landscaping.
The design for the Arbury Road junction has still not been finalised. The ‘scramble’ that is present now and has worked for many years apparently does not fit in with modern traffic regulations. The engineers are still trying to solve the problem and their final ideas should be available at the Milton Road Local Liaison meeting on 18 February at the Meadows Community Centre.
A segregated Toucan crossing has been added near Downham's Lane.
An outbound bus lane has been added to start before Woodhead Drive leading to the King’s Hedges junction.
An informal uncontrolled crossing with 2.5m-deep central refuge has been added near Woodhead Drive. This will be nearer to Downham’s Lane due to the new bus lane. It looks as if the stretch between the crossing and Woodhead Drive will be used for unofficial 2 way cycling.
There are two options offered for the Kings Hedges junction. The aim is to enable diagonal crossings but as the junction is quite wide the engineers are not sure whether this is possible.
Posted on Tuesday 16 October 2018
The process for re-modelling Milton Road has now reached the point where plans have been sent out for public consultation. If you live on or near Milton Road you should have received a leaflet and questionnaire, but you may not have one because the distribution was patchy. However, you can also complete the questionnaire online at https://consultcambs.uk.engagementhq.com/milton-road/survey_tools/MiltonRoadSurvey2018.
Please do look at the plans and complete the questionnaire to make your views known.
MRRA Committee has examined the plans and questionnaire in detail and their opinion is that the plans are a great improvement on those originally proposed over two years ago, but that there are still some areas which could be improved. The following is the Milton Road Residents Association response to the questionnaire:
We support or strongly support all elements of Question 1 except:
11. New outbound bus lane approaching Elizabeth Way roundabout: strongly oppose
12. Elizabeth Way roundabout redesign: oppose
18. Retain inbound bus lane approaching Arbury Road junction: strongly oppose
Our reasons are given in Question 2.
11. We strongly oppose the new outbound bus lane because it takes away space that can be used for safe, protected inbound and outbound cycleways and better verges which will allow school traffic in the morning to cycle legally between Highworth Ave and Ascham Road, the most intensely used part of the school route.
12. We feel obliged to oppose the Elizabeth Way roundabout redesign because of the very narrow and unsafe shared-use pinch-points for people walking and cycling. These problems could be fixed by retaining the present single traffic lane on Milton Road outbound at the approach to the roundabout and segregating the cycleway from the footway.
18. We believe that the inbound bus lane approaching Arbury Road junction is too long and that space would be better used for improved verges and footways.
There should be no illuminated advertisements on floating bus stops and the panel on the approach side should be kept clear so that bus drivers can see if anyone is waiting.
We strongly support the design of the new segregated cycleways and Copenhagen-style priority crossings.
We strongly support the proposed concept for tree planting along Milton Road.
We believe that the pavements should be pedestrian only and that cycleways should always be segregated from footways. Not only would a shared-use pavement be unsafe and intimidating for vulnerable pedestrians, it would also encourage people to cycle in close proximity with the many driveways on the north-west side of Milton Road leading to an increased risk of collision with vehicles exiting from driveways. Frequent crossing points over Milton Road are therefore needed.
We strongly support the implementation of a Traffic Regulation Order to prevent parking on grass verges. Some form of physical barrier is needed to protect these verges.
Short term parking for carers, delivery vehicles, etc, can be provided by:
a. Using driveways; or where none is available
b. Accepting that they will use the existing exemption which allows deliverers to park on double yellow lines for up to 10 minutes; a special rule analogous to the disabled parking system might have to be created for carers and doctors; or
c. Enforcing the rule that requires those needing longer periods of parking to apply for prior authorisation.
We believe there should be a crossing near Westbrook Drive (Option 4A).
We believe there should be crossings at both Downham’s Lane (Option 19A) and Fraser Road (Option 19B). This is to help people from the large estates on either side of Milton Road to cross the road and access bus stops and the unidirectional cycleway on the other side of the road.
The proposed shared-use pavements are dangerous and intimidating for people with disabilities who are walking or using a mobility device. We oppose shared-use pavements. Instead, cycleways should always be separate from footways.
Segregated footways and cycleways are much safer, easier to navigate and comfortable for all users. Where a footway has to cross a cycleway, such as at a bus stop, Zebra markings on a raised platform should be used, preceded by rumble strips on the cycleway and tactile paving on the pedestrian approaches.
Additional controlled crossings of Milton Road will help all people to be able to cross the road safely, regardless of ability.
Posted on Monday 17 September 2018
Today the Greater Cambridge Partnership has announced the next phase of the Milton Road consultation. The following is an excerpt from their message:
The consultation runs from Monday 17 September to Monday 29 October 2018. Brochures will be distributed throughout the Milton Road area including the village of Milton, and the consultation is being widely advertised with the use of bus stop adverts, A5 flyers, posters and press releases to the local media. This also includes a social media campaign via Facebook and Twitter.
Information about what is being proposed, both the need for the scheme and benefits, as well as further information and how to have your say, can be found on our website at: www.greatercambridge.org.uk/MiltonRoadConsultation.
You can download the consultation brochure here:
Download Consultation Brochure
You can view the Milton Road Consultation website here: https://consultcambs.uk.engagementhq.com/milton-road
And you can view the original announcement here: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKGCP/bulletins/20dcfbf
At the end of the consultation brochure are the dates and locations for three public consultations:
Location: Arbury Road Baptist Church
Date: Wednesday 26 September 2018
Time: 4pm – 7pm
Address: Arbury Road Baptist Church, 20 Arbury Road, Cambridge, CB4 2JE
Location: All Saints Church
Date: Tuesday 9 October 2018
Time: 4pm – 7pm
Address: All Saints Church, Church Lane, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6AB
Location: St George’s Church
Date: Tuesday 23 October 2018
Time: 5pm – 8pm
Address: St George’s Church, Chesterfield Road, Chesterton, Cambridge, CB4 1LN
This is the best chance that you will get to influence the future shape of our road and it is important that the planners have your input: after all, you know more than anyone else about the place where you live and the journeys you undertake.
Posted on Monday 21 May 2018
You can download the original PDF version of this report written by Anne Hamill here: trees_report.pdf
Participants: Paul van de Bulk, 2 tree officers (Kenny McGregor, Dinah Foley-Norman), Landscape Architect (Henry Casement), Cllr Joceylnne Scutt and 5 local residents [Dorcas Fowler, Anne Hamill, Maureen Mace, Rowland Thomas, Richard Swift].
KM explained the role of the tree officers and their team. With regard to maintenance, a tour of all the trees in Cambridge was carried out every 3 years to inspect health. It was important to choose new trees which would withstand the site conditions, be species with best resistance to known pathogens, and those which would enhance the streetscape. There had been mistakes in some of the tree plantings in Cambridge in the past and he reassured participants that learning had taken place as a result of these failures.
PvB informed the group that approx. £23million was earmarked for the Milton Road scheme, but no specific allocation for planting as yet.
During the course of the tour KM explained that, due to the increasing number of pathogens (possibly as a result of climate change), it was wise to have, say, two species of trees comprising an avenue as a form of protection, these varying on the three different sections of Milton Road. Milton Road was wider in some parts than others and this would affect choice. However, there were possible planting areas suitable for a group of trees, not all of the same species, e.g. by the Golden Hind, which could accommodate larger specimens.
Species Viewed: Early Mature Birch
Birches grew well, enriched the soil by fixing nitrogen, were durable (i.e. 80 – max. 120 years), and had low water demand.
Species viewed from minibus, Lime trees (not clear whether these were the non-sap producing variety). Some Council-planted, some on University land; an example of how mature, medium canopy trees can be planted on a major thoroughfare without causing issues for vehicles.
Species Viewed: Mature London Plane
Species Viewed: Tulip Tree
London Plane trees were “bombproof”. Long lasting, surviving pathogens (although some early warning recently reported in Europe), could be pollarded (although this was dangerous to tree surgeons in narrow areas close to roads). In Sidgwick Avenue, roots broke up pavements making problems for push chairs/wheelchairs.
Tulip trees were a suitable choice for larger spaces. Lower branches could be pruned. Robust, pollutant- and heat- resistant. No known pathogens. Less flare at base of trunk than London planes. Quick growing.
Species Viewed: Mature Hornbeam and Dawyck Beech
There were some problems with the hornbeams (rust), possibly caused by salting roads in winter. Viewed in tight area i.e. narrow verges. An example of how two different species worked well together. [Together, these two species formed a very dense canopy, which was OK on Brooklands Avenue as properties set far back from trees, but would occlude light from adjacent houses where front gardens are small or absent.]
Species Viewed: Semi-Mature Lime Trees - Small-Leaved Variety
Very costly with regular maintenance in expensive development area. Survival in other areas would be high risk (KM).
NB. There are varieties of lime trees which do not produce sticky sap, as they have hairy leaves which aphids avoid. [Think these are that variety.]
Species Viewed: Pears (Chanticleer), Crab Apples, Whitebeam
Flowering pears conical shape, have flowers and autumn colour, grow in poor sites. Suitable for narrower stretches of Milton Road. Crab apples – problem with mushy fruit on the ground (objections from residents). Whitebeam – tough trees, light coloured leaves, get broad but would be suitable for “break out points” along the road.
Species Viewed: Mature Cherries and Field Maples
Cherries – upright Y-shaped conical, quite tough, fit in narrow sites. Could use bigger cherry (e.g prunus avium) on corner, say, of a group of larger trees.
NB Horsechestnuts being devastated by pathogen, will soon become rare.
Species Viewed: Semi-Mature Italian Alders in Rootcell System (i.e. No Verge for Planting)
Commonly used in urban sites in Europe. Well-behaved trees. Rootcell system effective for providing water needed. Slender with heart shaped leaves. Yellow autumn colour.