‘Raised table’ crossing proposed for Station Road

Cambridgeshire County Council has opened a consultation into a new crossing arrangement at the Station Road junction with High Street. The new layout intends to make the area safer for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate, particularly during the busy school drop off and pickup times. 

The Council is proposing a raised table crossing – like the one at Brook Close – is installed on Station Road, just before the Give Way markings on the junction with High Street. There will also be a box junction marked out on the eastbound carriageway on the High Street and road lines refreshed around the location. 

Concept

Raised table crossings can be safer for pedestrians because they encourage motorists to slow down to navigate the crossing. Their design also reinforces the Highway Code rule that a pedestrian waiting to cross at a side road entrance should be given priority. 

Meanwhile, the proposed box junction on High Street would mean drivers travelling eastwards along the High Street towards The Green can only proceed if there is sufficient space beyond the junction to avoid stopping within the marked area. The aim is to reduce congestion at the junction and help cyclists move through it more safely.

The consultation will run until 1 April, 2026, with further details available on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

While the need for safety improvements at the junction are widely acknowledged and supported, some concerns about the proposals have already been shared on social media. 

One resident commented that raised tables can sometimes become “breeding grounds for potholes in future years”. Another suggested that morning congestion and poor visibility are largely caused by postal vans parking on High Street.

Copenhagen Crossing

H&I Parish Council originally put forward the similar concept of a “Copenhagen Crossing” with a “Keep Clear” marking during the County Council’s 2023/24 round of Local Highways Improvement projects. 

At the time, the estimated cost for the work was budgeted at £29,000. A contribution of up to £20,500 was from the Parish Council; the County Council set aside £25,000 from the Local Highways Improvement funds for the project. 

Funding for the scheme was approved in October 2024 and the current consultation follows the design phase in which County Council engineers explored the exact layout, cost and any possible issues such as drainage. 

H&I County Councillor Ros Hathorn said: “The Parish Council and its volunteers worked incredibly hard to secure this project and were successful on their second attempt. I do urge people to participate in the consultation, but I also ask that contributors be mindful – particularly when commenting on social media – about the amount of work that has gone into getting this far. The aim is to make this junction safer for all road users and improve the overall feel of the High Street.” 

She added: “The parish council is always really happy to have help from extra volunteers when working on a range of projects. Please get in touch if you would like to get involved.”

High Street

Histon’s High Street carries a large amount of vehicle traffic both from within the parish and neighbouring villages of Oakington and Girton. It is also a key pedestrian and cycle route for Impington Village College students and families at the primary schools. 

The Parish Council sees the project as a continuation of a plan for enhancing the High Street for people walking and cycling – and the Brook Close raised table crossing was a first step towards that vision. 

As well as improving safety, it is hoped the new Station Road crossing will also become a less attractive through-road route for drivers. 

READ MORE: Volunteers could be trained to fix potholes

Documentation related to the raised table crossing in Station Road, Histon (Reference (Reference: PR1206) is available on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. The consultation closes on 1 April 2026 and all feedback should be sent to policyandregulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.