Anyone from Cambs area. Route advice.

[Biscuit]

Yep the finish date is due end of May. Currently they are over the incline on the 505 heading towards the turn off to Granta park. The section from Sawston roundabout to the Babraham turn off is ridable if you don't mind bunny hoping the kerb stones. Better than the 505 itself. Officially it's not open yet, plus there's plenty of path closed signs.
In the morning I still use the 505 as the guys are up early and working on it by 8. After 5 they've all gone home so ride it then.

That's all I know I guess.

 

[Biscuit]

@Stephen C do you ride into Linton on the A1307 ? Think I may have seen you ?

 

[Stephen C]

Yep the finish date is due end of May. Currently they are over the incline on the 505 heading towards the turn off to Granta park. The section from Sawston roundabout to the Babraham turn off is ridable if you don't mind bunny hoping the kerb stones. Better than the 505 itself. Officially it's not open yet, plus there's plenty of path closed signs.
In the morning I still use the 505 as the guys are up early and working on it by 8. After 5 they've all gone home so ride it then.

That's all I know I guess.

That's about as much as I got from it, still haven't cycled it, but drive along the 505 about once a fortnight, so was very happy to see they were carrying it on up the dual carriageway part.

@Stephen C do you ride into Linton on the A1307 ? Think I may have seen you ?

Sometimes, I come from Sawston, through Babraham to the A1307, down to the A11 roundabout, through the 40mph limit part of the 1307 through Abington then turn off down the back road past Hildersham to Linton. At the moment, I'm going out the back of Linton to Balsham then through Fulbourn into Cambridge, but I change it up depending on whether I feel like doing more hills (well, hills by Cambridge standards!) or not.

 

[Stephen C]

I think the roadworks sign says until some time in May. .

Yep the finish date is due end of May.

Well, they still haven't quite finished the section towards Granta Park, it looks like they just have the top layer to go so it is a bit bumpy, but still preferable to the main roundabout!

 

[GrasB]

Sometimes, I come from Sawston, through Babraham to the A1307, down to the A11 roundabout, through the 40mph limit part of the 1307 through Abington then turn off down the back road past Hildersham to Linton. At the moment, I'm going out the back of Linton to Balsham then through Fulbourn into Cambridge, but I change it up depending on whether I feel like doing more hills (well, hills by Cambridge standards!) or not.

Coming from Sawston/Babraham I quite like the technical bit going down the back road into Abington past the petrol station, down the old A11, first turn off on the left & the past house with the ambulance before a few tight turns. Hang a left near the shop then double back on the A1307 before joining the back road into Linton past Hildersham

 

[Biscuit]

Well, they still haven't quite finished the section towards Granta Park, it looks like they just have the top layer to go so it is a bit bumpy, but still preferable to the main roundabout!

I suspect they are waiting for payment before putting the top dressing on. Like you say. It's better than the 505 itself.

 

[robjh]

Coming from Sawston/Babraham I quite like the technical bit going down the back road into Abington past the petrol station, down the old A11, first turn off on the left & the past house with the ambulance before a few tight turns. Hang a left near the shop then double back on the A1307 before joining the back road into Linton past Hildersham

Have you tried the new footbridge over the A11, on a footpath between the old A11 near the Abingtons, and Babraham, where it emerges into the village between some houses? There is a bit of bike-lugging to get up the steps of the bridge but an interesting alternative if you're in an off-road mood.

 

[GrasB]

Have you tried the new footbridge over the A11, on a footpath between the old A11 near the Abingtons, and Babraham, where it emerges into the village between some houses? There is a bit of bike-lugging to get up the steps of the bridge but an interesting alternative if you're in an off-road mood.

A bike is a road vehicle & not a trolley so why would I use a route which made it into a trolley?

Also the council have done another half job with the A505 cycle path, It's going to have exactly the same problems as the Hinxton one. I'll not be using that one either.

 

[robjh]

A bike is a road vehicle & not a trolley so why would I use a route which made it into a trolley?

Also the council have done another half job with the A505 cycle path, It's going to have exactly the same problems as the Hinxton one. I'll not be using that one either.

The bridge is a bit of a hybrid half-job too. There is a runnel beside the steps for pushing a bike up, but if I remember correctly, the access from the Abington end is over a designated footpath only. I won't be a regular user either.

 

[GrasB]

My problem is that actually the A505 & A1307 at the points you go from Babraham & Pampisford to Abington aren't that dangerous as long as you don't try to turn right into the first Pampisford turn off past Sunny farm. The real danger area is crossing the A1307 onto the back road into Linton as you've got to cross two streams of traffic in one go at all logical crossing points & there are lots of other distractions/low visibility at the nearly straight across crossing points. No one is pushing any agenda forwards to do anything about those.

 

[Stephen C]

My problem is that actually the A505 & A1307 at the points you go from Babraham & Pampisford to Abington aren't that dangerous as long as you don't try to turn right into the first Pampisford turn off past Sunny farm. The real danger area is crossing the A1307 onto the back road into Linton as you've got to cross two streams of traffic in one go at all logical crossing points & there are lots of other distractions/low visibility at the nearly straight across crossing points. No one is pushing any agenda forwards to do anything about those.

The whole area is a bit of a mess really, even in a car. As you say, the problem is crossing the A1307, but I've been going through the area for about 10 months now and if you take your time there is normally a break big enough that you aren't taking any risks.

Going from Linton to Cambridge, I go along the back road past Hildersham and turn right onto the A1307 just by the petrol station. Even at peak times in the morning, I don't have to wait long to get a clear road, meaning I can get past the pinch point by the petrol station before any cars can reach me (it's a 40 limit, but most are still doing way over that...)

Going home, at the moment, I take the new cycle path and go round the back of the Abingtons, and then cross going straight into Hildersham, the visibility is good and with the slip road, you can get off the main road very quickly. I used to go through Babraham and join the A1307 at the dual carriageway part, again, fairly good visibility and you don't have to wait too long for clear road, but the roundabout is really quite fast, and not fun at all when tired!

 

[Stephen C]

The bridge is a bit of a hybrid half-job too. There is a runnel beside the steps for pushing a bike up, but if I remember correctly, the access from the Abington end is over a designated footpath only. I won't be a regular user either.

I've used it a few times, but the main problem for me is that road bikes are really meant for muddy farm tracks!

 

[alpine fenlander]

My problem is that actually the A505 & A1307 at the points you go from Babraham & Pampisford to Abington aren't that dangerous as long as you don't try to turn right into the first Pampisford turn off past Sunny farm. The real danger area is crossing the A1307 onto the back road into Linton as you've got to cross two streams of traffic in one go at all logical crossing points & there are lots of other distractions/low visibility at the nearly straight across crossing points. No one is pushing any agenda forwards to do anything about those.

A bit off-topic, but if you contact Cambs County Council cycling team they might be able to do something to improve things. I've worked with them as part of the Ely Cycling Campaign and we usually seem to get best results if we send them 2-3 suggestions and they have a pot of money for minor improvements so if it's for example a small section of cycle path or changing the road layout a bit then it could get done quite quickly (well quickly by council standards, 12-18 months).

 

[Biscuit]

Also the council have done another half job with the A505 cycle path, It's going to have exactly the same problems as the Hinxton one. I'll not be using that one either.

What's wrong with the Hinxton one, and why does the 505 cycle path have the same problem? I've used both. They seem ok to me and better than the road option, and have resulted in a four fold increase in the number of people cycling to work in my department. That's 4 less cars on the road. A good start no?

It's a genuine question.

 

[GrasB]

The whole area is a bit of a mess really, even in a car. As you say, the problem is crossing the A1307, but I've been going through the area for about 10 months now and if you take your time there is normally a break big enough that you aren't taking any risks.

I find it's actually worse off-peek. The traffic is usually travailing a few mph faster & wider spaced.

Going from Linton to Cambridge, I go along the back road past Hildersham and turn right onto the A1307 just by the petrol station. Even at peak times in the morning, I don't have to wait long to get a clear road, meaning I can get past the pinch point by the petrol station before any cars can reach me (it's a 40 limit, but most are still doing way over that...)

I turn left there & head back towards Linton, then turn right into the middle road into Abington.

Going home, at the moment, I take the new cycle path and go round the back of the Abingtons, and then cross going straight into Hildersham, the visibility is good and with the slip road, you can get off the main road very quickly. I used to go through Babraham and join the A1307 at the dual carriageway part, again, fairly good visibility and you don't have to wait too long for clear road, but the roundabout is really quite fast, and not fun at all when tired!

Now I'm cringing as that's the worse place to cross. Actually there's quite bad visibility there, you just don't realise it! I'm aware of a number of near misses there when people have ended up being unsighted & as I said before you don't realise you're unsighted.