England's first cycle street has opened to the public in Cambridge, marking a significant milestone in the city's efforts to prioritise active travel.
Adams Road, which connects Cambridge West to the city centre and is already used by up to 3,000 cyclists a day, has been transformed as part of the Greater Cambridge Partnership's (GCP) Comberton Greenway project.
Cycle streets give cyclists greater priority, with motor vehicles required to travel at the same speed as cyclists.
Construction began in October 2025 and has included widening footways, installing rainwater gardens to manage drainage, improving junctions to give greater priority to pedestrians, additional crossings and full resurfacing of the carriageway. The changes aim to tackle longstanding issues caused by narrow pavements and busy junctions in the area.
The project forms part of a wider ambition to create a 150km network of greenway routes linking Cambridge with neighbouring villages. Road markings are the last remaining work and are expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
GCP project manager Jonathan Camp said the opening was ‘a significant milestone in the progression of the Comberton Greenway,’ thanking local residents for their patience throughout construction.
