Peterborough cycle group calls for government funding to be spent elsewhere in the city

A Peterborough cycling group has cautiously welcomed millions of pounds of funding to create new bike routes in the city – but said the money would be better spent elsewhere in the city.

Peterborough has been given £3 million from the Government’s Active Travel Fund 4 initiative, after a bid from the city council and the combined authority.

The money has been earmarked for four schemes in the city – with the biggest chunk being spent on A new segregated cycling route including junction treatment and new road crossings In Thorpe Wood.

The Peterborough Cycle Forum have welcomed the funding – but have said ‘expenditure should be focussed on where the need is greatest’ – highlighting problems for cyclists elsewhere in the city.

‘Some aspects are excellent’

Chris Cooper from the group said: “The recent award of funding from Active Travel England, combined with funding from the Combined Authority, will result in a total of around £3 million to spend on a scheme at Thorpe Wood.

“Some aspects of this are excellent. Three new zebra crossings will make it much easier and safer for pedestrians and cyclists to travel through the area.

“It also includes the construction of around 500 metres of segregated cycle lane, adjacent Thorpe Wood road, between Thorpe Road and the new bridge over Nene Parkway.”

“The people of Peterborough are not getting what is really needed.”

However, Chris said other areas needed funding more. He said: “When budgets are tight expenditure should be focussed where the need is greatest. A city council cross-party working group recently completed a review of the Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan and Thorpe Wood ranks only 9th in a prioritisation of 15 cycle routes.

“Routes of much higher priority include those into the city centre across Town Bridge and Crescent Bridge.

“I have recently monitored peak hour traffic; on Monday, May 22 at Thorpe Wood and on Tuesday, May 23 on Crescent Bridge.

“There were just 5 cycle journeys on Thorpe Wood road between 8am and 9am compared with 30 on Crescent Bridge. Significantly, the road environment is far more hostile on Crescent Bridge, with double the volume of motor traffic (1299 v 617), and so 60% of cyclists travelled (illegally) across Crescent Bridge on the narrow footways.

“Credit should go to the staff responsible for submitting the successful funding application. They have said what the funder wanted to hear and have ticked all the right boxes. But in persuading Active Travel England to fund the scheme at Thorpe Wood the people of Peterborough are not getting what is really needed.

“Funding is limited and should be allocated where it is most needed. To do otherwise is a serious misuse of public funding.”

The £3m given to the city also includes funding for design work on improved cycling infrastructure and junction upgrades on Oundle Road between Ham Lane and Lynchwood, Improved cycling infrastructure and junction upgrades along Thorpe Road between Thorpe Meadows and Midland Road and walking and cycling improvements along Bourges Boulevard / Lincoln Road between the city centre and Werrington

During the COVID pandemic, a temporary cycle lane was set up – and later scrapped – over Crescent Bridge.