Petition Overview:   

Residents living in The Triangle between Histon Road and Huntingdon Road are seeing more traffic cutting through residential streets to avoid the junction traffic lights. With new developments at Eddington and Darwin Green, this rat running is only going to increase. 

The streets in The Triangle include (but are not limited to) Oxford Road, Windsor Road, Canterbury Street, Benson Street and Priory Street.  

We, the undersigned, petition the council to implement measures that prevent rat running of traffic through this area. These measures should retain resident driving access, as well as address the impact on the whole area simultaneously, not on a street-by-street basis.   

For the residents of Oxford and Windsor Road, the volume of traffic is endangering children and pedestrians crossing the road to reach Mayfield Primary School, as well as cyclists using the route. The congestion caused by the rat-running is a cause of air pollution in the neighbourhood and detrimental to residents' quality of life.   

The current proposal to redevelop the junction does not address the rat-running problem, which will lead to an estimated  £300,000 of taxpayer money wasted. 

Residents of Benson and Canterbury Street are facing different but equally serious issues with diverted traffic including HGVs ploughing through their narrow streets, which do not have front gardens nor parked cars to protect against property damage, and making it unsafe to step out of their houses. In the past couple of years, they have had pinch points, planters and signage introduced to reduce HGV traffic, yet the issue with HGV's using the road persists. If any solutions are implemented to reduce rat running in neighbouring areas, it is crucial that the issues of Benson and Canterbury Street residents are addressed as well, because a portion of that traffic will head their way.  

In both cases, solutions that restrict residents’ driving access must be avoided. As this would unfairly punish residents on neighbouring roads that are not affected directly, like the residents of Richmond Road.  

We petition the council to implement solutions for the whole area holistically rather than on a street-by-street basis. Solutions should not divide the community. This may mean implementing a few different solutions simultaneously, so that an improvement on one street does not worsen another.  

For Oxford and Windsor Road, one solution is to install cameras at the pinch point on Windsor Road with fines issued for non-local traffic, as has been successfully implemented in Cambridge before for the Mill Road bridge closure. This would have the advantage of allowing residents, visitors and emergency services to retain access via a permit system but would close those using it as a rat run. The signage for the official cycle route should also be reinstated. 

For Benson and Canterbury Street, once solutions for the wider problem are implemented, preventative measures must be implemented to stop the traffic heading their way. Additionally, HGVs must be stopped from using these streets entirely. Residents should also be properly consulted on solutions, as previous consultations have left residents feeling ignored.   

Quotes from concerned residents: 

“Despite measures implemented by highway engineers, HGVs still mount our curbs endangering us and our property.” 
 
“As a long-term a resident of Oxford Road, I am keen to foster a shared sense of community and neighbourhood with more conversation, improved air quality and safety”