Cyclists have been forgotten in new multi-million pound railway station, say Ely campaigners

Multi-million pound plans to redevelop Ely's railway station have a “total lack of cycling provision”, Ely Cycling Campaign has said.

The chairman of the campaign group, Andy Shaw, said members have seen early drawings of the plans and that they are “wholly inadequate” for cyclists.

He told Cambridge News: “Nearly 300 cycle commuters use Ely Station every day. The current station approach is woefully inadequate.

“We have been repeatedly assured by East Cambridgeshire District Council officers that the Station Gateway will solve this issue once and for all.

“However we now find that yet again cycle access has been left out of the plans altogether and there is a total lack of cycling provision within them.

“In summary, these proposals are wholly inadequate from a cycling perspective.”

East Cambridgeshire District Council has denied that the plans rule out cyclists,and says that they are at a very early stage.

Shirley Blake, the district council’s principal sustainable development officer, said the plan is to make the station a “transport interchange”, which will include cyclists.

She said: “One of the key points of this work is to develop the station's potential as a transport interchange – which includes bus, walking, cycling, taxis, cars as well as seeking to reduce traffic congestion in the area to make it easier to walk and cycle."

Drawings of the proposed changes are available to view here.