The tranquil village of Grantchester in Cambridgeshire has been majorly disrupted by a long-standing dispute over a cycle lane. Last week, local residents left the rolling hills and thatched cottages behind to battle in London’s Royal Courts of Justice to save their town from a cycleway. Plans for the construction of a greenway, a route for cyclists, walkers and horse riders, through the heart of Grantchester has left villagers furious.

The route would link Haslingfield to Cambridge, yet residents say the section through their town would destroy its unique aesthetic. On March 25, a three-day judicial review opened at the High Court based upon Grantchester Parish Council’s objection to the greenway. The case was brought against Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP), the committee responsible for the Haslingfield Greenway. This comprises representatives from Cambridgeshire County Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council.

Grantchester also allege that, during a  meeting in 2022 with a then GCP board member, they were “promised” that the greenway would be re-routed if enough villages objected to its construction. Subsequently, a public consultation took place where 73% of residents voted against it. However, the GCP insists that “promise” was never made. 

On day one of the review, Judge Mrs Justice Lieven expressed her disbelief over the case, saying “this is just verging on insanity” due to the extent of the cross-examination. 

“There is an incredibly narrow issue of fact as far as I can see here,” she said. “It will merit very few questions.”

After a lengthy 30 page cross-examination concluded on March 27, the judge is yet to make a decision. While there is no timescale to this, the parish council’s legal team predict that it might be months.

On the morning of the summing up, villagers expressed shock over the matter’s escalation. “If I was the judge at the end of the first morning I’d have said, ‘Why is this in court?’” Ray Steward told The Telegraph. 

A spokesperson for the GCP said: “The 12 greenways in Cambridge would introduce more than 150km [93 miles] of new, improved and safer routes for people to get around the local area.” They added that they will comment further once legal proceedings have concluded.

Residents from outside of Grantchester support this view, with one cyclist saying: “I think it would be useful. The other option is going up the A10, and through the busier parts there you have to be careful – some bits there’s cycle paths and some, it’s non-existent. It would be safer [to have a cycle path], I think. A lot of people come to this village anyway – I don’t think it would bring that many more.”