A county councillor has backed plans for a £7.2 million cycling ‘super highway’ connecting Royston and Cambridge.

Decisions are set to be made on which transport schemes could be supported with a share of £100m government funding as the Greater Cambridge City Deal kicks into gear.

One of these is a highway which would run separately to the A10, and provide links to Foxton, Meldreth and Shepreth railway stations, as well as the Melbourn science park.

Melbourn county councillor Susan van de Ven, who is a member of the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign, has given her full backing to the scheme.

She said: “This project is about maximising opportunities to reduce vehicle traffic on the A10, which as people will know is already often at gridlock, at the Cambridge end and the Royston end, too.

“The Melbourn-Royston safe pedestrian and cycle link is an overwhelmingly positive idea, the one-mile distance is so manageable, not only by bicycle but also on foot.

“We know there is a great flow of traffic in both directions by people who live at one end and work at the other – from Melbourn to Royston and vice versa.

“Johnson Matthey recently told the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign that they have installed showers and changing areas for commuters arriving by work but until a safe cycle link is created, they can’t expect that modal shift to take place.

“The A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign has been instrumental in focusing attention on this cross-county border problem, which for decades has been off the radar of both Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire County Councils.

“The campaign has got residents on both sides lobbying together.”

An executive board will meet for the first time on January 28 to decide which schemes will be delivered in the first five years of the City Deal.

Councillor Steve Count, leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “These transport schemes have come from local people and have been consulted on through our long term transport strategy process.

“They are designed to help reduce congestion, boost the economy and encourage more people to walk, cycle or use public transport.”

For more visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk.