In Manchester...
Oxford Road - from Fallowfield is really bad with really bad ridden bikes.... I commute to the other end of the road, in south Manchester, but now that I have secure bike parking, I bike into the main campus area on a regular basis.
I don't touch Oxford Road at all...Europe's busiest bus route (but the drivers are very very tolerant of bikes...).... my risk is running into the student's on my bike... totally all over the place.....
I use the back routes in, less students, less traffic, and I am faster and don't get into any silly stuff...
Cambridge is bad overall...just don't ride a bike into the Uni Corridor in Manchester unless you pick a back route.....it is bad.... certainly until the weather sets in...........