Local cyclists in Cambridge have welcomed the opening of England’s first “Cycle Street” that gives cyclists right of way over drivers, though some are concerned by the scheme’s value for money.

The Adams Road upgrades have seen the street narrowed to encourage slower driving, whilst drivers will no longer be able to overtake cyclists or pedestrians on the road along the renovated stretch of road, that local bodies say already attracts 3,000 cyclists at peak times. Pavements have also been widened and resurfaced, whilst further road markings will give pedestrians priority at certain junctions.

The Cycle Street is part of the Comberton Greenway project that aims to link the city of Cambridge to surrounding villages with 150km of infrastructure suitable for walking, wheeling and cycling.

Adams Road resident Juliette Jackson told the BBC, “because it was an ordinary road, often the cars didn’t really pay much attention to the cyclists, and some of them are students – and they’re not very good at cycling, and they don’t have lights and they wear black clothes, and it’s quite hard to see them.

“The cars are [now] encouraged to sort of treat the road slightly differently.”

Anne Strauss told ITV Anglia, “It’s much smoother, that’s really nice. You don’t have to think about people opening their doors, so you don’t have to try and make sure you’re centring yourself around that. You’re not worried about the things that are will juct cone out of nowhere at you.

“I feel much better on the road as cyclist than I did before.”

When the roadworks began on Adams Road in October, South Cambridgeshire Councillor Brian Milnes said “This project is about putting people first – making every day journeys safer and easier for everyone.

“We’ve heard too many stories of cyclists being knocked off their bikes and car doors suddenly opening into their path, while elderly and vulnerable residents have to step into the road just to get around bins or parked cars. That shouldn’t be the reality on one of Cambridge’s busiest cycling routes.”

To tackle the issue, the number of car parking spaces has also been reduced along the road, although some residents were sceptical of both the impact of the upgrades, and the £2.4 million spent on the project.

“I’ve cycled up and down this street for decades I’ve never had any trouble, any problems with cyclists. So what have they actually changed? They’ve spent an awful lot of money, the result of which is that cyclists can cycle up and down the street just as well as they always could,” one resident said.

“The potholes need far more attention than this kind of operation. Basically I think it’s a waste of money,” added another.

Whilst Thomas Fitzpatrick, Transport Programme Manager at the Greater Cambridge Partnership that was behind the Greenways project, was being interviewed, he was heckled by a passing cyclist, shouting “it’s a bleedin’ waste of money” as he rode by.

Defending the project, Fitzpatrick told ITV, “This scheme has gone through all the suitable, Department for Transport business case appraisals and it has a very high benefit-to-cost ratio. It’s here to support the growth that is happening in the West of Cambridge.” He added he expected the estimated 3,000 cyclists who use the road to “expand significantly”.