Cambridge is a city with a long and venerable history, dating back to Roman times - nigh on two thousand years. The University is, this year, celebrating its 800th anniversary, and maps of the city centre from several hundred years ago are still recognisable today - landmarks such as the Round Church, the Market and many of the central Colleges were all in place back then. And, of course, so were the roads connecting them. No eight-lane highways for Cambridge, however; the streets are, in some places, barely wide enough for a bus. This is just as well, because buses are the only vehicles allowed in much of the inner town centre these days.
As the City expanded, its reputation for scientific excellence attracted companies, and business "parks" began appearing on the outskirts. Most of the villages around Cambridge now house people who work in places like the Science Park in the north of the City. The consequence, of course, is that the daily commute into these places is a nightmare. Road building has simply not kept pace; the bus services need drastic redesign; and despite Cambridge being known as Cycle City, roads throughout the city are stuffed to breaking point with cars morning and evening, most containing only one person.
Things are much better during the school holidays; the 10% reduction in the the number of cars due to the lack of a "school run" seems to solve the traffic problems at a stroke. But during term, things are pretty grim. Banning the school run would be a tad draconian as a solution, but to my mind there is a much simpler alternative: promote teleworking.
If everybody working in an office or high-tech company worked elsewhere for one day every two weeks, we would see a reduction in car levels approximately equivalent to that experienced during the school holidays. Problem instantly ameliorated, if not actually solved, at virtually zero cost to the taxpayer.
Naturally, this solution is too easy for many local Councillors, who would prefer to implement a ghastly "congestion charge" - with all the costs of collecting the charge, the disruption of setting it up, the need for car numberplate recognition systems, and the consequential fury of motorists who already feel they get a raw deal.
All I have to say is: come on, chaps, sometimes the answer really is staring you in the face...
Photo by: Wootang01
