Cars banned from crossing Mill Road bridge in Cambridge
The bridge will be closed to all motor vehicles, except for buses, pedestrians, cyclists, emergency services, taxis, and vehicles registered to blue badge holders
Cambridge County Council's Highways and Transport Committee members have voted to approve the introduction of a modal filter on Mill Road bridge.
This decision means that the bridge will be closed to all motor vehicles, except for buses, pedestrians, cyclists, emergency services, taxis, and vehicles registered to blue badge holders.
During the meeting, committee members considered responses from a recent five-week statutory notice period for the proposed Traffic Regulation Order (TRO). In Spring 2022, the Greater Cambridge Partnership conducted a consultation that received 1,986 online and written responses, with 72% of respondents supporting the restriction of motor vehicles on Mill Road bridge.
Following this, a five-week TRO notice period was advertised from 9 August to 13 September. The council received 1,894 objections, amounting to 46.5%, while 2,155 comments supported the proposals, representing 52.9%.
Cllr Henry Batchelor, chair of the special Highways and Transport Committee, stated, “Today, as the chair of this special committee, we heard from all sides and listened to the concerns raised. There has been a lot of engagement on this project and whilst this was not an easy decision, we agreed restricting most of the traffic over the bridge would be beneficial and give local people more improvements.”
For drivers, these changes mean that most vehicles will no longer be able to cross Mill Road bridge. Drivers of non-exempt vehicles will need to find alternative routes, as the restrictions will limit access significantly. Buses, taxis, emergency vehicles, and blue badge holders' vehicles will still be allowed to use the bridge, but blue badge holders must register their vehicles for exemption through an online application form, available from Monday, 7 October.
Following the approval, work to implement the bus gate is expected to start in November and be completed in December. The bus gate will be enforced by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. For the first month after installation, non-exempt vehicles will receive warning notices, while exempt vehicles will be encouraged to register online.
In addition to the changes on Mill Road bridge, the council is exploring improvements to the public realm, walking, and cycling facilities in collaboration with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and the Greater Cambridge Partnership. This includes enhancements such as additional cycle parking, signage, and the decluttering of the highway.