Cambridge Councillors act to end Emmanuel Street Congestion (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

Cambridge Councillors act to end Emmanuel Street Congestion

January 14, 2006 11:00 AM

Cambridge Councillors will decide on Monday which of two locations to move the National Express coach station to from its present Drummer Street location.

At present Drummer Street and Emmanuel Street suffers from serious congestion due to the large number of buses and long-distance coaches

travelling in both directions there. Cambridge Traffic Management Area Joint Committee (AJC) is expected to approve plans to proceed with redesigning of Emmanuel Street. The two coach stop options are Victoria Avenue or Parkside.

Executive Councillor for Planning and Transport, Jenny Bailey, commented:

"The current coach station just adds to the terrible traffic congestion on Emmanuel Street which really slows down buses in the city centre as well as making the area dangerous for both cyclists and pedestrians.

"It is vital that buses are able to move freely around the centre and so we will be making Emmanuel Street one way for bus travel. This will make the road safer for cyclists and help the buses keep to time."

The AJC is also expected to approve plans to place time limits on the buses on lay-over near the city centre's green spaces.

Commenting on the plans, Liberal Democrat Vice-Chair of the AJC, City Cllr Sian Reid said:

"I welcome the opportunity to place time limits on the buses on layover alongside the city's green spaces. This should help reduce the visual impact of buses waiting beside Parker's Piece, which currently can be there all day.

"The situation in Emmanuel Street couldn't have been left as it was, it is just too dangerous and held up buses too often. Moving the coaches away from Drummer Street will alleviate a lot of the current traffic problems there.

"Along with many of those who have raised concerns about the coach stop, I agree that the best places for a transport interchange would be at the station or at the Park and Ride sites. In fact the City Council has defined the achievement of a good transport interchange as the key objective of the Station Area development and the Ashwell plan for the area will be judged against this."

"I will also be pressing National Express to make better use of the facilities which the County already provide for them at Trumpington Park and Ride."

Cllr Julian Huppert, a County Councillor on the AJC, added:

"The station really is the right place for a transport interchange. With the redevelopment happening in the station area at the moment it is not appropriate for coaches to be moved there but in the long-term we intend to include the coach station as part of the station area transport interchange."