Perse School - transport between sites - nervous cyclist!

[ProcrastinatorsAnonymous]

Hoping to relocate to Cambridge to send 2 kids to The Perse. Would have one in Pelican and one in Prep... How do families handle drop off between the two sites?

Cycling seems the obvious solution, but I'm not a confident cyclist AT ALL and the thought of doing it with children on a bike seat / in a trailer / cycling with me fills me with dread. From Google maps, it doesn't look like there's a separate cycle lane - you just have to take your chances on the road?

If we decided to drive, how bad is traffic around there?

There must be lots of families in the same situation - do people car pool, or is there any kind of shuttle option?

Thanks!

There's a very nice cycle lane along Hills Road.
The pavement on Long Road is shared used pedestrians and cyclists. You can also take a little detour via Luard Road and Sedley Taylor Road to join Long Road a little further up, and then miss out some of the narrower pavement on Long Road. It then gets better later on.

@CityCentre - That's really encouraging! Thanks so much for taking the time to reply!

Surely Cambridge has got to be pretty safe for cyclists? Everyone will be used to loads of them everywhere.

You see so many people with children/babies in trailers and on bike seats, I’d say that was the preferred method. Maybe do a few trial runs on quieter days before school starts? Traffic is absolutely horrendous so avoid driving if you can!

Can I implore you please not to drive. Those of us who live in the city are not so happy about school parents clogging up the roads and polluting our air twice a day. I really think all the private schools should think of their neighbours, club together and have a staffed drop off at the park and ride and then shuttle buses! The difference on the roads outside private school term-time is really noticeable. If there weren't so many parents driving to the schools, you'd feel safer cycling too!

@Biscuitsneeded - I agree. I'm in my 40s and have never owned a car in my life. I hate them, am terrified of driving them. But also terrified of riding a bike - particularly with small children. Car would be absolute last resort.

@TeenDivided- I didn't feel safe to cycle there when I lived there for 3 years in my early 20s after witnessing a bike go under a lorry - but hoping there are more cycle paths separated from traffic now.

If you're going to work in Cambridge and live in the city you won't necessarily need a car. The council run some cycling courses for people who haven't cycled in years so that they can get confident again in readiness for Cambridge navigation! Maybe look into those? When I moved to Cambridge aged 32 I hadn't cycled since my teens, but now I wouldn't be without my bike. I promise it's really, really normal to do the school run by bike/trailer etc. If you're really worried, maybe look at the local state schools for now and save the Perse for later? There's no real need for private in Cambridge as schools are decent.

@Biscuitsneeded I'll look into those cycling courses - thank you! I love the idea of cycling everywhere - just don't trust myself to be safe!

also look into cargo bikes of various sorts. There are some that have a solid looking trailer on the front with extra wheels that I think would be easier to cycle, as well as two wheel cargo bikes, and then various trailers and tandems and so on. I think there is some organisation that lets you try them out, maybe even rent them for a while.

www.camcycle.org.uk/resources/training/#adult

Seems the subsidised council training is no more, but if you're willing to pay Outspoken would be good, I am sure.

@Biscuitsneeded - That's so helpful - thank you! I'm hoping if we can find somewhere to buy around Hills Rd, we won't have to travel too far!

I have a feeling Outspoken is the organisation I was thinking of above, who have information about all the different types and styles of cargo bikes, trikes, seats, etc. I know from friends who've cycled with small children that different people have vastly different preferences about the style of trailers or bikes or seats that work for them, and it would be very helpful to try them out first and see what you can get used to. Needs change over time as well, so people can move from cargo bikes or trailers, to tag-a-longs and tandems, to children cycling independently, etc. Some prefer a seat or trailer vs a cargo bike, depending whether you also want to use your bike just for you without any children, or whether you need to use the trailer as a pram, or whether you want to have more than one bike for different circumstances, etc.

@CityCentre - Just googled Outspoken and then went further and further down the rabbit hole of cargo bikes! There are so many! I do think I'll need to assess whether I can get comfortable cycling by myself first, before adding kids... We haven't made the move to Cambridge yet, so I have some time to figure it out!