Cambridge had decided very early on to create an environment where the pedestrian and the cyclist comes first. Whether the urban conservation design and policies work well and is suitable for everyone, is yet to be fully determined, but when I was walking around the centre of the city, I did not feel threatened by speeding vehicles, and the streets did not feel congested and I was able to use the street casually, while taking in the views and enjoying the architecture. I imagined how such a policy could work in some very pedestrianised area in Malaysia, such as the Petaling Street and Jalan Masjid India area in Kuala Lumpur. I think the KL City Hall and other Malaysian authorities have to be bold if they decide to go for a similar idea. (But it started with the conservation ideal, mind you.)
The sign says "Pedestrian Zone - Except for Buses, Taxis and Access to Bridge Street South, 20 miles per hour speed limit", which excludes other vehicles from coming in and out. As a disabled visitor arriving in a car, I had problems to find a suitable carpark near enough to the guest rooms where I lodged, especially when carrying and unpacking the luggage. I had to park at St. John's carpark, and that was some walk away. We had to carry the luggage in shifts. It is okay for a one off but after awhile it wore me down. I don't know whether I had broken any law as I did manage to squeeze in a few times through the barriers on the road! I used my disabled blue badge as much as I could, using the "three hour limit capability" on double yellow lines streets.
Pedestrians are able to use the pavements and streets freely, as the 20 miles per hour speed limit imposed made people feel safe to nonchalantly walk about with carefree abandonment, but of course, you still have to watch out for the odd speeding vehicle, the huge buses and the crazy cyclist! The street surfaces are designed to indicate the priorities of use, tarmac for vehicles, pavers for pedestrians and cobblestones near conservation areas, for wheelchair users bumpy rides. (See link on pavers.)
Although the streets are narrow and vehicles do use them, you will find crossings nevertheless at strategic junctions, and I saw many people pushing prams, using wheelchairs, zig-zagging across the streets where I stood at the corner of Bridge Street. These crossings are helpful, when there is an approaching vehicle and you need to cross, but other than that, the street is so narrow that you often do not notice them and just cross anywhere!
In conservation areas, and you find many of these metal studs on the pavement before a crossing, as a tactile warning for people with poor eye-sight, before crossing the streets. In non-conservation areas, you will notice that they use yellow /orange tactile blocks with raised surfaces on them, which is the standard design referred to in the building regulations and guidance.
Low walls are better than high walls, so that you could use them for seating, and the one bordering St. John College precinct was to me very strategic and thoughtfully designed. Simple and effective. You can see the street barriers, and automatically raised bollards on the street to deter unwanted vehicles from entering. Walk, cycle or bus, they say, do not congest the streets by bringing in your car! Oh, my poor lower back and aching legs...the memory of...
A top down view of the street near St. John's gated entrance, plus bollards. Cyclists rule Cambridge, it must be said.
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