Histon Road has been closed to inbound traffic while improvements are made with City Deal funding. The Greater Cambridge Partnership says that its project “aims to provide better bus, walking and cycling facilities for those travelling on this busy key route into Cambridge”, see https://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/transport/transport-projects/histon-road. Closures are expected to last for 12 months.
Traffic entering Cambridge from the Histon roundabout on the A14 is currently being signposted down Kings Hedges Road. ARERA had asked the GCP to prevent this diverted traffic from using Arbury Road since, before the onset of COVID, its staff had warned ARERA that the result of diversion was likely to be “carnage” for those of us who live, work or learn here. But no such signage has been put in place. Members of ARERA have been busy this week monitoring traffic on Kings Hedges and Arbury Roads so that we have evidence about how the diversion is affecting traffic flows on the two roads. Preliminary analysis shows that more traffic is using Arbury Road than Kings Hedges Road, including almost all cyclists and pedestrians. ARERA is sharing the collected data with our elected councillors and with the residents association for the Hurst Park Estate. HPERA are worried that the diversion will cause additional rat running via Leys Road. The collected data is being assembled to present to the GCP as part of our case for additional signage directing diverted traffic away from Arbury Road. Once the traffic data has been fully analysed, we will share our report with residents, businesses and schools on Arbury Road and with our elected councillors. Look out for further updates on the ARERA website.