Cycling group praises push to improve Cambridgeshire's roads in budget
The county council's due to talk about their budget plans today
Last updated 13th Feb 2024
Taxpayers in Cambridgeshire could face higher council tax bills if plans are passed today.
Plans for a tax rise of almost five per cent are due to be decided at a full county council meeting.
The move comes amid a backdrop of the council trying to close a £37.4m funding gap.
The authority's also wanting to spend £57 million in maintaining children's and adult social care services and £23 million on improving our roads.
John Powell's from the Ely Cycling Campaign group:
"Improvements have been made over time and I think we're definitely heading in the right direction, and with additional funds, I'm sure more is going to be done (to improve highways)," he said.
"I'm pleased to see they're attempting to improve with what is a skeleton type of amount of money that goes into highways.
"I think the county council should include metrics on (road) safety, which they've included in the past.
"It's diminishing returns; if they spent more money, we'd have better infrastructure for cars, cyclists and pedestrians.
“Cambridgeshire is trying a lot harder than other highways authorities to make cycling and walking less dangerous.”
What's included in this year's budget?
The proposals in the budget are based on a tax rise of 4.99%.
Some of those plans from the county council include:
- £57m to sustain children’s and adults’ social care services;
- £23m to strengthen and improve the highways across the county, as well as prioritising safe and sustainable travel on our footpaths and cycleways;
- £3m to continue providing holiday food vouchers for those most in need.
Councillors have also earmarked £43m to invest in highways improvements, such as repairing and preventing potholes, over the next two years.
"The roads around here are poorly maintained"
We've been speaking to people in Ely on what they'd like councillors to spend money on in the budget.
Rebecca told us: "I think we're pretty well-served in Ely with children's services as far as I can tell; I don't think anybody objects to money going into potholes."
Jason's originally from Staffordshire and visits the city: "The roads around this area are no different to where I live; they're poorly maintained.
"You're trying to drive, especially not being aware of the area so you're trying to look for road signage, speed cameras, miss the potholes; it makes it more stressful driving, so more money would definitely be needed for things like that."
Val added: "I would like to see a better bus service to and from Ely and Cambridge, as we sometimes have a two-hour wait; it should be much more regular."
Previously, Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said the proposed tax increase has not been an easy decision to make.
"This increase is a difficult proposal to make – but we’re balancing this against protecting the needs of our most vulnerable communities and the state of the economy," she said.
“We’re prioritising our limited funding in a number of key areas to make our county greener, fairer and more caring.
"Whether that is the £57 million to sustain children’s and adult social care services; or £23m into improving the standard of our highways – where we have really listened to, and acted on, residents’ concerns."