Number of parking spaces in Cambridge could be slashed in shake-up that will change character of city streets
The number of parking spaces in the city centre could be cut back as car journeys are reduced to “exceptional” trips under a new strategy for Cambridge.
It could see streets ‘rebalanced’ with cycle hangars, cargo bike parking and pocket parks as the city centre moves towards a car-free future.
The vision reflects plans by the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) to encourage more people to switch to active travel and buses for journeys as part of the wider City Access programme to reduce congestion, noise and air pollution.
It follows proposals, reported last week, to overhaul the city’s road network, closing some local routes to through traffic.
The aims and the vision for the integrated parking strategy will be presented to the GCP’s joint assembly on Thursday, June 9, before the board makes a decision on the proposals at the end of June.
A report produced by consultants WSP explains: “Car parking facilitates economic activity and access to employment, education and services – but not for everyone. People who cannot drive, [or] do not have access to a car, must use other modes of transport.
“When car parking supports high levels of car trips on the network, the resulting congestion can have a negative impact on users of other modes: buses become less reliable, and walking and cycling become less pleasant, with greater potential for modal conflict and safety issues.”
But the consultants admit better alternatives for motorists must be put in place.
“As controls expand across the city, sustainable transport alternatives will need to be provided, including for those who currently park in uncontrolled areas to access employment, education and services,” says the report.
Ian Sandison, CEO of Cambridge BID, told the Cambridge Independent: “Cambridge businesses would welcome an integrated parking plan if it leaves ample free parking provision for city centre workers, who must drive because the provision of public transport is poor to many of the local towns and villages.”
The GCP had previously agreed to develop the parking strategy with Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council.
It aims to bolster use of buses, bikes and walking, slashing carbon emissions as it does so, while considering how on and off- street parking could be better managed to reduce congestion and promote more sustainable modes of transport.
Work to introduce new residents’ parking schemes in Cambridge was agreed in November 2021 by the county council’s highways and transport committee, with the GCP due to take on the work.
An initial list of schemes has been drawn up for six areas of the city: Romsey West, Elizabeth, Romsey East, York, Hurst Park and Wilberforce.
If approved by the board, work to design each scheme would begin immediately, with the aim of implementing them within one to two years following public consultations. A second tranche could be considered next year.
Last month, the Cambridge Independent reported concerns that a lack of housing for staff at Cambridge hospitals could impact services, with 20 potential staff being turned away every month as the NHS trust is unable to find them somewhere to live and the cost of living in the city cited as one of the main reasons why staff choose to leave.
Mr Sandison continued: “My daily conversations with large employers confirm that more residents’ parking schemes, or restrictions on access and a mooted congestion charge, would all impact on the attractiveness of Cambridge as a place to work in retail, hospitality and leisure.
“Cambridge residents who support a residential parking scheme need to really ask themselves, why is that person parking legally on their street? It is because they work in the city centre, can’t afford to live in the city, have to drive because there is no alternative and if you increase the number of residential parking schemes they will work somewhere else. As much as Cambridge is a beautiful place to live, its vibrancy will be impacted if the local shops, bars, restaurants, cafés and hotels continue to have staffing problems and end up closing because not only can staff not afford to live here, they can’t afford to work here either.”
The report to the joint assembly says the availability and pricing of car parking is key to determining the level of vehicle traffic in Cambridge, with current parking prices and availability only reinforcing the view that driving is often more convenient and cheaper than public transport.
The city has approximately 3,700 publicly accessible off-street parking spaces, which includes the city centre car parks. On-street parking and pay and display offer a further 1,500 spaces, with 6,000 more across existing residents’ parking schemes. The number of uncontrolled on-street parking spaces is not known.
The strategy envisions a future where an expanded Park & Ride and travel hub network meets most of the needs of drivers. City centre car parks would be repurposed, under the plan, with accessibility and car share schemes becoming their main use.
But that will have a major impact on funding for the city and councils, which rely on car parks for a healthy income stream. The report notes this will need careful thought to “avoid impacts on service delivery”.
The strategy also considers the need to rebalance streets to reflect a wider range of uses, create more liveable neighbourhoods and build sustainable transport capacity: for example, adding car club bays, EV charging points, cycle hangers, cargo bike parking / hire schemes, pocket parks and parklets.
The report says: “In Cambridge, local data suggests that levels of car travel and car park usage have recovered to (or exceeded) pre-pandemic levels, while bus and rail travel levels remain below pandemic levels, reflecting less travel overall and – perhaps – a persistent wariness about sharing confined spaces, reinforced by government messaging early in the pandemic about the apparent risks of travelling on public transport.
“Cities around the world face the same challenges as Cambridge.
“Actions implemented elsewhere show that these apparently radical types of changes are achievable.
“Cities elsewhere in Europe provide benchmarks and inspirations for the types of multi-modal rebalancing under consideration here, including specific examples in changing the availability and location of car parking.”
The consultants cite the examples of Turku in Finland, which has moved parking out of the city centre, providing multi-purpose parking facilities at the edge of the centre instead, and Ljubljana in Slovenia, which is gradually removing cars from the city centre, with underground edge-of-city-centre parking garages, combined with extensive bike share and low emission buses.
The report adds: “Oslo, Norway is working towards a car-free city centre. They are rapidly converting parking spaces to bike lanes, parklets and other uses. Traffic dropped by 28 per cent within three years of starting to remove spaces in earnest. Pedestrian traffic rose by 10 per cent and businesses did not see the fall in trade they feared. Oslo saw no road deaths in 2019.”
It goes on to say: “In all these cities – and in many more – initial public scepticism and business opposition melted away once people saw the benefits of cleaner air, more pleasant city centres, safer, quieter streets, increased footfall and higher revenues. Increased economic activity leads to increased local property tax revenue and carbon emissions decline.”
Two parking bays can accommodate a parklet or outdoor café seating for 10 and cycle parking for eight bikes – and reducing a row of parking bays by one space could provide sufficient room to plant three trees, with significant benefits.
Currently, the car is the preferred mode of transport for many, the GCP notes, with 50 per cent of car trips in Cambridge wholly within the city centre.
WSP’s report argues that car parking is likely to be less important to retailers than they believe, with surveys including one by active travel charity Sustrans showing that retailers tend to “overestimate the importance of car travel to their footfall and revenue”.
A Sustrans survey in Bristol found retailers estimated that 41 per cent of their customers arrived by car, whereas the actual proportion was 22 per cent. They also under-estimated the percentages of their customers arriving by all other modes.
Setting out the need for additional parking controls, the strategy cites public feedback to the GCP earlier in the year.
Almost 2,000 pins were dropped on an interactive map by people to outline the challenges and issues they face with on-street parking across Cambridge, as well as almost 100 written submissions.
The report says: “Prioritising all areas of the city and deciding on the appropriate nature of parking controls will require further analysis and evidence gathering, including ensuring alignment with wider city access proposals including enhancements to public transport and active travel as well as potential new charges for driving and/or parking.”
The strategy will continue to be developed over the coming months in parallel with wider city access proposals, which include the plans for a new road classification for Cambridge, improvements to the bus service and the introduction of road charging.
The feedback from the Making Connections consultation, alongside detailed proposals for public transport improvements and reducing congestion and pollution, is due to be considered by the assembly and board in September. If the objectives and visions set out for the parking strategy are approved by the board this month then more detailed recommendations will be made at that time.
