Residents have their say on project to rejuvenate historic streets (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

Residents have their say on project to rejuvenate historic streets

March 11, 2010 11:36 AM

Tim Bick

Cambridge residents are to have their say on a plan costing up to £184,000 which will rejuvenate Fitzroy Street and Burleigh Street.

The scheme will aim to make improvements along the two streets to give a more consistent look.

Changes will include:

• replacing all seating, bollards, litter bins and cycle racks with new contemporary style furniture

• replacing the street lighting in Fitzroy Street to match that in Burleigh Street

• removing all but one public phone box, which will be relocated, in order to de-clutter the streets

• installing tree surrounds in Fitzroy Street to remove the existing trip hazards at the base of trees

• de-cluttering the streets by rationalising the locations of some of the bicycle racks

• lifting the restriction on cycling so cyclists and pedestrians share the roadway throughout the day

The project will be funded with money by Cambridge City Council through central funds and West Central Area Committee funds and with developer money.

Residents are being asked to comment on the plans and their views will be put before the West Central Area Committee on April 8.

Over the past year, Market Ward Councillor, Tim Bick has led a team of stakeholders including retailers, proprietors, residents' representatives and ward councillors and officers from both the city and county council who have been agreeing action needed to improve the area from which this project has emerged.

Tim said: "We believe that there is real potential to rejuvenate these two important streets which have suffered a great deal during the recession.

"Previous improvements were partial and left some of the area disjointed and jaded. We now have the chance to correct this. Though resources do not allow us to do everything we would want, we hope that the project will assist the streets' recovery, momentum for which is already underway on the commercial side with the recent opening of Primark and Clement Joscelyne."