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Cold weather leaves Cambridge’s paths and cycleways ‘slippery and dangerous to use’




Below-freezing temperatures have left some people trapped in their homes with pavements and cycleways slippery and dangerous to use, say campaigners.

The cycle lane on East Road in Cambridge Picture: Keith Heppell
The cycle lane on East Road in Cambridge Picture: Keith Heppell

Camcycle says gritting is “proving less effective than usual” and is calling for a winter maintenance schedule that allows people to continue to cycle around the city safely.

Highways authority Cambridgeshire County Council says it has gritted 50km of cycleways and paths in the city over the past week.

In a statement published on its website, Camcycle says that some people are finding the current conditions in Cambridge hard.

“Some are isolated from going out at all and others are finding the paths slippery and dangerous to use. We know that the county council has used its gritting quad bike on sections of key active travel routes such as the busway path and Chisholm Trail but we have been told that the treatment is proving less effective than usual owing to the prolonged period of below-freezing temperatures,” the statement says.

Camcycle says snow should be completely cleared from paths and roads that are priority cycle routes.

The statement continues: “This should include the side streets which may be secondary roads for drivers but are part of the primary network for cycles. Particular attention should be given to junctions and corners, as these are higher risk locations for people cycling.

“On main roads, segregated and off-road cycleways should not be narrowed or endangered by ploughed snow removed from the carriageway.”

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “We have a fleet of gritters and quad bikes who have been out twice a day across the county in the past week, as temperatures have dropped.

“We have two quad bikes covering the Guided Busway, cycleways and paths in Cambridge City treating over 50km including the Chisholm Trail. We also have a dedicated team of around 70 volunteers who go out and salt the pavements.”

The spokesperson added that the council was looking for people interested in volunteering to help with gritting in Cambridgeshire.

They added: “All our winter gritting routes are available on our website and we are always looking for volunteers who want to help us – if you know anyone who is interested in volunteering to help us grit Cambridgeshire, visit our website to find out how you can get involved.

“With the cold temperatures, there could be slippery patches that are salted and the more use they get the more they will defrost and clear - please take extra care when travelling, cycling and walking.”



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