A safer cycling campaigner says she cycles “everywhere except into Royston” – and has welcomed promises of more bike routes into the town.

According to a report by two councils, a crossing over the A505 – one of Hertfordshire’s busiest roads – is a “key issue” for pedestrians and cyclists in the area.

North Herts Council and Hertfordshire County Council already had plans for a bridge over the A505 and A10 roundabout as part of its upcoming Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), the report sets out.

This would plug Hertfordshire into a planned 12-mile cycleway to Cambridge city centre.

But after a consultation which took place in autumn 2022, the councils now "aspire" to build a second crossing over the A505 and A1198 roundabout near Tesco.

Councillor Susan van de Ven, the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign chair, said safe crossings have not come forward because of an "awkward" county boundary.

She said: "I always say the A505 crossing is the 'missing link' in the Royston to Cambridge corridor.

"It’s the 'missing link' between housing and work – between Royston and the science and business parks in Melbourn, Foxton and Harston."

Cllr Van de Ven (LD), who represents Bassingbourn on South Cambs District Council, added: "We know Royston is a natural part of our geography. There is an awkward county boundary in the middle of our natural community.

"I cycle everywhere except into Royston across the A505, and I can’t wait to cycle there in the future."

According to the Department for Transport, 29,453 drivers and motorcyclists travelled along the A505 north of Royston on an average day in 2021.

This figure stood at 38,885 in 2019.

In the Royston area, the A505 is notorious for crashes and incidents, earning itself the label "road of death" and "road of danger" in newspaper headlines.

On Facebook, drivers and cyclists share their news about crashes and incidents in the "Make the A505 Safer" Facebook group.

The councils’ report was published ahead of a North Herts Council cabinet meeting on Tuesday, June 27.

It follows a consultation which 1,239 people responded to between September and November last year.

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"Currently very limited access across the A505," the report notes.

"A safe crossing point is a key issue for residents in Royston.

"[An] A505 'Melbourn Greenway' crossing is already included in the plan.

"Further aspiration [has been] added for a crossing at the A505/A1198 roundabout near Tesco to support active travel trips from Kneesworth and Bassingbourn."

In Royston town centre, survey respondents were "concerned" about the A10 one-way system, but feared plans to "relocate road space from vehicles to cyclists" could cause more problems.

Elsewhere in North Hertfordshire, more than 220 respondents said they wanted a safe walking and cycling route between Ashwell and the village’s station – which is more than two miles from the village centre.

The councils received "general support" for a cycle network throughout Hitchin.

In Knebworth, the councils faced pushback on plans to add segregated cycleways on the B197 High Street, so has scrapped its original plan for "cycling interventions" in the town centre.