No work on Mill Road bridge bus gate in Cambridge as contractors avoid fourth night of protests
Protesters opposing the planned closure of Mill Road bridge to most private motor vehicles debated the issues with pro-closure passers-by and residents on Thursday evening (14 November) on the fourth evening of the blockade to prevent work being carried out.
The difference from the previous evenings’ protests was the absence of both the police and the contractors, who had put up barriers on either side of the bridge on the previous three nights.
Around 15 protesters gathered outside Moda Barbers at 6.45pm on Thursday to ensure the council’s teams were not able to go about their work.
Susie Williams, one of the organisers of the protest, says the group will be showing up every evening until 25 November “because that is when they [the council] is scheduled to do the work”.
The proposed work involves narrowing the pavement “because they need more space in the middle of the road to put a traffic island in with a big notice saying the bridge is closed”.
“It would be a £35 fine, and £70 if you forget to pay it,” Susie noted.
Local photographer Kashif Darr added that the camera was pointed almost half-way up the bridge, “because you’ve got residents who need to turn left here” (into Headly Street).
Susie observed that “we’re doing them [the council] a favour” because if the council was to lose the court case it “would be doing all these alterations to then have to remove them”.
At around 7.30pm the group was approached by a man who said he lived nearby. He remonstrated with the protesters, saying that the closure of the bridge would help make the road safer. He said he belonged to no group but “had seen some really bad things happen here because of bad drivers”.
“It’s about inconvenience, isn’t it?” he suggested, noting that the bridge closure would mean “adding 10 minutes to your journey”.
“And pollution,” said Susie. “Are you worried about pollution?”
“Stationary journeys cause pollution as well,” noted the man.
“People who cycle have got an alternative,” said Susie, “which is Carter Bridge.”
“You guys lost - twice,” said the man, referring to the majority decisions in favour of bridge closure following Cambridgeshire County Council consultations. “I support the big idea.”
A female protester responded: “We’re out here night after night and you’re not.”
The man explained that he had been at work, and the discussion continued with neither side willing to change their minds, and eventually the man left.
Shortly afterwards, another man asked the protesters: “You guys are just trying to make trouble aren’t you?”
A male protester told him: “We are trying to stop the works from proceeding because there are legal papers in process at the moment and the council have skipped ahead of the due processes, and we want them to answer their case in a court of law.”
“There was already a lawsuit,” pointed out the passer-by.
“Yes and they quashed it - they lost,” replied the protester, in reference to a High Court case on an earlier Traffic Regulation Order.
“In two weeks time I won’t be standing here because there’s a court proceeding. Had the council gone to court and the court agreed with them and rubber-stamped the plan I wouldn’t be standing here, I’d say it was a democratic process, and that’s the only reason. And in two weeks the case will go to court again and the judge can look at it and will say either ‘this is entirely without merit’ or they will rubber-stamp it and say the council is fine and they can do what they want. I’m here for the process of it, nothing to do with anything else.”
“It seems like you guys are interfering with everything, right?” retorted the man. “You’re interfering with trying to get a pedestrian crossing, and you’re interfering with trying to get the bridge closed.”
Both men on either side of the argument had received a letter from the council referring to the plan.
The protester said: “The letter for the Mill Road Bridge bus gate - that’s what they refer to it as - refers to the crossing but it’s not a crossing, it’s a bollard in the road to narrow the pavement and put the sign up which advertises the bus gate.”
A cyclist stopped by and joined in the discussion.
“I cycle by here every day,” he said. “This area is just dangerous. At some point somebody will be killed on this part of the road.”
“There’s the Carter Bridge just near here for cyclists,” said the protester by way of reply.
As the evening drew to a close, one of the organisers said: “I’m encouraged because the police obviously know we’re not a threat. We’re not going to cause havoc. If we had they would have needed to have been here to liaise with the two parties, and that’s quite encouraging.”
But they may, of course, return.
“They may very well. Perhaps they’re lulling us into a false sense of security. That’s why we’ll be here tomorrow, and on Monday - and maybe on Saturday and Sunday.”
The protester argued the outcome of the latest court challenge should have been awaited.
“Anyone would an ounce of sense would have waited,” said the woman. “People should be asking ‘why are you spending my council tax money on this rather than filling the potholes on these roads?’
“They moan about us wasting taxpayers’ money because the contractors are getting paid - though they won’t get paid tonight because they haven’t turned up.”
The Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is due to come into force on 1 December. From that date, the bridge is due to be closed to all motor vehicles, except buses, pedestrians, cyclists, emergency services, taxis and Blue Badge holders’ registered vehicles. Any unregistered vehicle crossing the bridge will be fined £70, with enforcement via Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras (ANPR) cameras. The aim is to improve safety and air quality for pedestrians and cyclists, and the TRO earned majority support in a consultation.
The new legal challenge has been launched by Emma Rose, from Romsey, who filed a pre-action letter with the council, but she has distanced herself and her group, Friends of Mill Road Bridge 2, from the nightly protests.
On Wednesday, Cambridgeshire County council said in a statement: “For the past two nights, our contractors haven’t been able to carry out the work due to the protests.
“Everyone has the right to a peaceful protest, however the safety of our workforce and welfare of other road users is paramount. We would urge those wishing to protest to do so peacefully and not to interfere with the works as this may present a risk to the workforce and other road users. Also, we’d like to highlight that any interference with equipment on the site may be a matter we need to refer to the police.
“We have also experienced vandalism to the Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras. This criminal damage will not be tolerated, and we will be sharing any CCTV evidence with the police.
“The decision to introduce the bus gate was made by the special highways and transport committee last month, following a statutory consultation that was conducted in line with the required regulations. As the highway authority, we have the appropriate powers to carry out the work to make the required changes to the highway before the Traffic Regulation Order comes into effect.
“We have reviewed the pre-action letter, indicating a potential challenge, and have responded to this. We are confident we have followed the statutory process.
“We will be continuing with the works and if necessary, we’ll look at different ways to carry out the work so that they are completed in time for the bus gate to go live.”
A spokesperson for the Mill Road 4 People campaign group said earlier this week: “We were saddened to see protesters prevent the start of safety works on Mill Road bridge.
“These protesters have not made a single suggestion for improving Mill Road. Their sole objective is unimpeded car access, and they appear to be content with Mill Road remaining a traffic-clogged street with nothing done to make it pleasant and accessible for everyone.”
Update: Work starts on Mill Road bridge early on Friday with unexpected closure - follow the latest on this story.
