bicycle
04-02-2009, 02:45 PM
THE cold snap has triggered a new spate of cycle accidents in Cambridge - and prompted repeated demands for gritting of the city's key bike routes.
Cyclists have been injured in several locations, including the Green Dragon bridge, the cycle bridge spanning the railway line, and the Riverside area.
City councillors have now delivered an urgent plea to Cambridgeshire County Council, which is responsible for gritting the main roads, to take action. They also want pavements gritted, after a flurry of falls involving pedestrians.
In a statement, Liberal Democrat councillors in the city said complaints were pouring in from East Chesterton, Newnham, Romsey and Riverside.
"The county council continues to refuse to grit cycle routes that are not already on a road, claiming a lack of funding."
Petersfield's Lib Dem county councillor, Nichola Harrison, said: "It has become apparent in this bad weather that the existing gritting arrangements for cyclists and pedestrians are not merely inadequate, but non-existent. This is not acceptable.
"This undermines Cambridge's status as a Cycle Demonstration City. The county council is supposed to be making our facilities exemplary, not ignoring them."
Romsey councillor Kilian Bourke said neither of the main cycle bridges in Romsey had been gritted, making them slippery and dangerous. He said the county council had refused to discuss it with him.
Green city councillor Margaret Wright, for Abbey, emailed Cllr Matt Bradney, the county's cabinet member for growth and infrastructure.
Cllr Bradney told the News gritting had taken place on cycle routes in the city, including the Green Dragon and the Riverside Bridge.
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Cyclists have been injured in several locations, including the Green Dragon bridge, the cycle bridge spanning the railway line, and the Riverside area.
City councillors have now delivered an urgent plea to Cambridgeshire County Council, which is responsible for gritting the main roads, to take action. They also want pavements gritted, after a flurry of falls involving pedestrians.
In a statement, Liberal Democrat councillors in the city said complaints were pouring in from East Chesterton, Newnham, Romsey and Riverside.
"The county council continues to refuse to grit cycle routes that are not already on a road, claiming a lack of funding."
Petersfield's Lib Dem county councillor, Nichola Harrison, said: "It has become apparent in this bad weather that the existing gritting arrangements for cyclists and pedestrians are not merely inadequate, but non-existent. This is not acceptable.
"This undermines Cambridge's status as a Cycle Demonstration City. The county council is supposed to be making our facilities exemplary, not ignoring them."
Romsey councillor Kilian Bourke said neither of the main cycle bridges in Romsey had been gritted, making them slippery and dangerous. He said the county council had refused to discuss it with him.
Green city councillor Margaret Wright, for Abbey, emailed Cllr Matt Bradney, the county's cabinet member for growth and infrastructure.
Cllr Bradney told the News gritting had taken place on cycle routes in the city, including the Green Dragon and the Riverside Bridge.
Home - Headlines in video - Emma Higginbotham
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=387304