Saturday 5 May 2012

Flooding on the busway

Today (Saturday), as I travelled to work in the relative comfort of a Stagecoach bus, I noticed that the water level on the flooded section of the busway cycle path has now risen a few more inches. It was lapping at the top of the concrete bridge that takes the cycle track over what must be intended as a flood channel. This is situated a few metres east of the Ouse Viaduct.
Nearby is one of those brick 'art installations' that were erected along the busway a few months ago. The 'installation' was almost submerged. So I reckon the water is close to two feet, maybe three feet deep.
This is too deep for cyclist to plough through (as they have been doing the past few days), and so this morning there were several cyclists wheeling their bikes along the grass verge at the top of the busway embankment, dangerously close to the buses which at this point travel at 56mph.
The flat area of grass at the top of the embankment is only about a metre wide, so people are putting themselves into danger. There is very little margin for error between getting hit by a passing bus and sliding down the embankment into the water. The busway cycle track has proved hugely successful as both a leisure route for cyclist, walkers, and runners, and as a travel-to-work route for cyclists. Is it too much to ask that Cambridgeshire County Council raise the level of the track even more so that the cycle path becomes an all weather route?

4 comments:

  1. Can't thank you enough for keeping us all upto date on the cycle path. I think its suprising how many people use it, and today on a Sunday I think a lot of people who may take a stroll or cycle down there with family will be disappointed.

    I would think that the grass verge at the top near the flooding area is going to wear down into a muddy track, as I have met a few people who have decided to take this route, I did it only once and thought it was too dangerous.

    Something has just got to be done. If this was a road it would have been fixed...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Kevin.

    I'm glad you find my blog informative and useful.

    I guess we all need to start writing to our County Councillors.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jennie Parsons20 May 2012 at 12:33

    Hello all - does anyone know what is the latest on the flooding on the cycle path? or am I going to have to go the long way round for another week?!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, Jennie. I was along there today and although there is still some water on the cycle track, there is a dry strip along one side - so its possible to get past without wetting either your feet or your wheels.

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.