‘There’s one part of Cambridge’s travel network I hate more than any other – here’s why’

Few things turn me into a grouchy, grumpy, grumbly person – but Cambridge roads are guaranteed to give me a Hulk-like personality makeover. I’ve lived in Cambridge for nearly six years, getting around on two feet, two wheels, and four wheels, travelling to every part of the city and its suburbs.

There is one part of Cambridge’s travel infrastructure that I have come to loathe above all else. If I could wave a magic wand and sort it out tomorrow, I would – the only problem being that I’m not decided what a better solution would be.

I am talking about the underpass at the roundabout which connects several of Cambridge’s busiest roads: Newmarket Road, East Road, and Elizabeth Way. The roundabout which cars use to navigate the junction is fine, except during rush hour, when the roads are a nightmare anyway.

But the underpass, supposed to be an easier way for pedestrians and cyclists to get around, is my personal circle of hell. Legally, I could use the road alongside cars – but I don’t fancy taking my chances on one of the Cambridge roads where most speeding fines are issued.

I do sometimes see people cycling across the roundabout, but I’m not brave enough to do so, leaving me only with the option of the underpass. While this removes conflict between pedestrians, bikes, and motorised vehicles, I find the underpass increases conflict between cyclists and pedestrians.

The ramps down to the underpass aren’t too challenging, but navigating the turn into the tunnel can be tight, with metal barriers making it tricky to turn and the right angle preventing you from seeing anyone coming the other way. I ring my bell so people know there’s a bike coming, but that doesn’t guarantee we will pick different sides to go on – meaning a crash or near-miss is still possible.

The tunnels themselves are sometimes filled with dead leaves turning to mulch, which can be slippery. Once you get into the middle of the underpass, things get worse.

The planting beds have been used to dump various pieces of litter and larger flytipped items, adding to the general run-down feel. I’m not offended by graffiti, but the stuff down here is of particularly low calibre.

Not all of the exits are labelled, meaning it can be tricky to work out which one you need to take. Because of the lower level, it’s not always possible to use the buildings above to orient yourself.

I’ve memorised my typical routes by remembering which of the murals I need to pass to leave the tunnel by the correct exit, but a bit of signage would be simple to install. Plus, as you travel through the tunnel to leave the underpass, you can’t always tell which side has steps and which has a ramp until the last minute because of the right-angled corners – a bit of paint and some arrows could sort this out really quickly.

I’m not the only person who has gripes with the underpass. The results of a Greater Cambridge Partnership consultation into potential changes on Newmarket Road, including the underpass of my nightmares, were published in May 2024.

Several respondents described the underpass as ‘unsafe’, noting some of the same concerns I have: poor visibility, tight turns, and dark tunnels. The proposals included the option to fill in the underpass and replace it with a CYCLOPS junction, with seven per cent of comments opposing this and three per cent in favour.

Three per cent of comments supported the underpass being retained and improved. That’s the argument I tend to agree with – a few changes could make it much better to use, without the cost and disruption of completely eradicating it. I’ve written previously about why I am sceptical of CYCLOPS junctions.

So while we wait to hear more from the GCP on the next stages of the plans, I’ll just have to grit my teeth and keep grumbling my way through the underpass.

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