During Spring 2021 Cambridge Ahead conducted a survey to understand the views of residents and workers across the Cambridge region on the city’s cycling infrastructure. The survey received 762 responses from individuals living and working across the region.
The results capture the cycling habits of employees, whether currently a cyclist or not. The results include distances respondents were prepared to cycle, their interaction with other methods of commuting and their views to whether future infrastructure plans and advancements in cycle technology would persuade them change their existing commuting habits.
From our analysis of the results, we have developed five recommendations for future investment:
Recommendation 1 – There are specific opportunities for future investment to eliminate barriers and pinch points which exist within the existing cycling network. We have identified clusters of surface quality issues, reports of junctions which cyclists find dangerous and propose routes for new or improved cycle lanes.
Recommendation 2 – Local Authorities across Cambridgeshire and neighbouring regions should collaborate to develop plans for a future network which extends and branches out from the greenway network. There is evidence of a desire to cycle distances beyond the planned network if the right infrastructure is put in place including from market towns like Ely, Soham, Newmarket and Saffron Walden.
Recommendation 3 – Planning should begin now so that our network can accommodate a trend toward greater e-bike usage. Amongst those who don’t currently cycle 40% indicated that they would be likely or highly likely to change their commute with increased e-bike access.
Recommendation 4 – Future investment should enhance integration between cycling and public transport modes. Most people are inclined to travel for up to an hour to get to work, irrelevant of the method of travel used. This suggests that for people travelling from further afield integrating cycling with another form of transport will be most attractive.
Recommendation 5 – Employers should ensure they offer adequate facilities to support employees to cycle to work.
