Mere Way: Frequently Asked Questions

The principles of the route were set out and approved in the Outline Application for the development of the former barracks and airfield at Waterbeach, which was approved in 2019. It was then subject to extensive consultation before the plans were finalised and submitted for formal technical approval to the County Council Highways Team. The final plans were approved through the Section 278 process.

The approach takes the historic connection from the City to the villages to the north – much of which became the route of the A10 road further north – and looks to invest in an upgrade to the connection so it can be used by more people, more regularly. To achieve this the route needs resurfacing and widening in areas to make it more useable for cyclists and walkers, and more accessible for wheelchair users and buggies: while still trying to ensure a grass surface for those who prefer a softer surface, such as equestrians and some walkers.

The work is being funded by Urban&Civic as part of the infrastructure set out in its planning commitments to deliver the new community on the former barracks site.

Extensive consultation has been carried out over the past three years to shape the works, including discussions with Waterbeach and Landbeach Parish Councils, district councillors, the Local Access Forum, and representatives from walking, cycling and equestrian groups. Residents and wider users were also consulted and had an opportunity to feedback their comments through an online consultation.

As well as consultation carried out on the Outline Application for the development of the former barracks and airfield at Waterbeach, extensive consultation was carried out from Summer 2020 to Spring 2022 during which over 30 meetings, events, walks and webinars were held with different stakeholder groups. Residents and wider users could also share their views and provide feedback in the online consultation from 25 June 2021 – 31 Sept 2021.

We have and will continue to talk to and work with our neighbours and representatives of user groups as we deliver the route that has been through a robust engagement and technical process; and ensure that we continue to tell its story to the future generations of Landbeach and Waterbeach residents and our neighbours.

There have been a number of key changes to the plans in response to feedback from the consultation, and additional input from stakeholders during the County Council’s technical reviews.

The safety of the route has been a primary focus at every stage of the process, and this has taken into account the use of all those using the route currently and in the future. This includes cyclists, walkers, horse riders, as well as a few parts of the route where agricultural vehicles need to access the farms along specific stretches.

Through the consultation the approach has evolved to ensure that the grass surface current users enjoy is maintained, alongside a new hard surface, with the vast majority of the route enabling a 3-4.1m hard surface and a 2-3m grass surface. There are locations where this needs to expand to just over 4m to ensure space and the right surface for agricultural vehicles to travel along the length of the route. The route has been subject to the Safety Review process, and the technical reviews of the Section 278 process, and its final Safety Review will be carried out on completion of the works.

The design of the scheme has been worked up to protect the heritage that may lie under the route, with the surface approach ensuring the works go to no more than a depth of 30cm. At the same time, we have worked with partners from the local heritage group to ensure that the works provide an opportunity to retell the historic connection between Cambridge, Landbeach and Waterbeach, as we start the next chapter of in the route’s history.

Inevitably, widening the route to ensure both hard and soft surfaces are included has had an impact on the setting. Some sections of the route have also been identified through feedback from the consultation and technical and safety reviews as needing management to ensure better visibility along the route (for example on the sharp corner of Cockfen Land and Akeman Street) and to widen pinch points to support all users.

Surveys and walks along the route have led to design changes to reduce the impact on trees, protecting those with greatest ecological value and benefit, including management work to improve the condition of 109 trees along the route. 16 trees were identified as needing to be removed, and this work was carried out earlier this year before bird nesting season. Vegetation was also cut back during this time, although the works being carried out now will require some additional removal of vegetation that has grown back since then.

All of this work is being carefully carried out in line with regulations and best practice guidance. This is being supported by an ecologist who is carrying out pre-work checks and working with the team to protect any wildlife found ahead of works.

We had originally programmed this work to happen during the Autumn of last year – but delays finalising the scheme meant we had to start work later than planned. Nonetheless, we have been working closely with our ecology team and partners to minimise the impact. This included: reducing the amount of tree removal by amending the design to retain the trees that had maximum ecology value where possible; doing the bulk of vegetation removal ahead of bird nesting season; carrying out onsite inspections ahead of all planned works to ensure no birds are nesting within the areas where vegetation needs to be removed; and having an ecologist onsite to ensure there is no impact on birds while work on the vegetation is carried out.

The improvement works fall into two main parts, with the main section of work along the existing Right of Way and through Landbeach village being carried out through a Section 278 agreement. This was signed off by the Highway Authority (Cambridgeshire County Council) for Urban&Civic’s contractors to deliver.

There is also new infrastructure coming in between the A10 and Green End that has been progressed through a planning application. This route was consented by South Cambridgeshire District Council, with input from the Cambridgeshire County Council Highway Authority.

Part of the Section 278 approval process includes three independent Safety Audits which the route will go through: the first at early concept stage, the second at detailed design stage (before the technical approval of the scheme); and then a final one planned for after the works have been delivered. This is important to ensure the changes to the route meet the robust safety criteria we all share.

Feedback during the consultation showed that while many wanted a hard surface, other users wanted grass. The current design has a grass strip running along the full length of the route alongside the hard surface. This should enable walkers, cyclists and equestrians to use the surface they prefer, as well as ensuring greater accessibility for pushchairs and wheelchairs. The grass route is 3m wide across most of the route, mirroring the hard surface. These changes have widened the route from the original plans. The hard surface also expands in some locations to just over 4m to support agricultural uses. The technical and survey work set out the appropriate width and surface to ensure the works support the weight and width of all users appropriately.

As this route will cater for commuting cyclists, and create a more accessible route for all, it needs to ensure a hard and soft surface for users. The current route has both hard and soft surfaces in different places. The works will extend this along the full length of the route.

There are areas at key points of the route that are over 4m; this is to allow for agricultural access to adjacent fields. The surface in the area used by agricultural vehicles must meet the agreed County Council standard for agricultural vehicles in terms of width, depth and type of surface used. In these areas the width of grass surface does reduce, but it widens out again as soon as it can.

Concerns have been raised about the urban appearance of the surface, through the use of dark asphalt material. The challenge remains a tricky balance to strike as the route needs to work as an accessible cycle commuting route, as well as a main leisure route, and its surface must be to an adoptable standard for the County Council to take on long term maintenance. The surface material that will be used has now been finalised in line with County Council specifications and cycle/equestrian guidance, as a dark tarmac with aggregate stone size (10mm – at a surface course thickness of 25mm), which improves the grip of horses.

The cross section of the route, including the materials used, have been informed by the guidance provided in:

• CD 143 – Designing for walking, cycling and horse-riding
• CD 195 – Designing for cycle traffic
• LTN 1/20 – Cycle infrastructure design
• British Horse Society Advice documents

As well as comments provided by the Local Highways Authority, Cambridgeshire County Council.

Street lighting options were discussed at length, with many differing views: some seeking safety and support for riders using this route, especially at night, others concerned about urbanising a rural route and impacting on nature. Ultimately it was agreed that key locations – such as where the route meets Butt Lane and crosses the road – street lighting is needed. It has been ruled out across the wider route because of the significant impacts on ecology. However reflective stud lighting has been added along the full length of the route to light the way ahead of cyclists.

NB: solar studs were also considered and evaluated as part of the possible approach, but the trees and vegetation being retained would lead to limited value from the solar studs, and ecologists were also concerned that they would have a negative impact on the bat population, compared to the responsive, passing light provided by reflective studs.

Farmers along the route were consulted as part of the development of the route improvement works and access to all the farms along this route will be maintained, with some improvements to the accesses incorporated into the final plan.

Along this route, there will be the need at times for shared use with some agricultural vehicles. This has been taken into consideration in the design evolution and with the Road Safety Audits. The final scheme ensures a safety-first approach, with appropriate design features and warnings in place, and this will be further tested at the final Road Safety Audit, which will be carried out following completion of the improvement works along the full length of the route.

This has most impact on residents of Green End in Landbeach. Separate sessions and one-to-one meetings will be held with them as needed to ensure they know about the plans and also to ensure access is maintained safely during construction. All Private Accesses will be respected and have been designed into the plan to avoid conflict between cyclists and residents leaving their homes by car, bike or on foot. Most of the street infrastructure will be retained in position, but one telegraph pole will need to be moved slightly at the corner of the track and Green End.

A WCHAR is an assessment carried out for national highways route that ensures it provides for walkers, cyclists and horse riders as part of the design, planning and delivery of a new highways route. The WCHAR process is not something that Cambridgeshire County Council require for local routes, and as this is an upgrade to the existing public right of way (PROW) and not a new route, the process is not relevant for this work. Nonetheless the process of WCHAR has been followed to ensure all user group needs are met.

The team working on the route includes WCHAR assessors. WCHAR is not an independent process, but a review carried out by the developer team proposing the scheme. The County Council process involves an independent assessment of Safety through the Road Safety Review process, which ensures a review at early design, at detailed design, and after delivery of the scheme.

The route is subject to a Traffic Restriction Order that does not permit carriage driving on this route. It is open for pedestrian, cyclist and equestrian uses, and for farm uses that have permits.