Area
The Cambridge Central Area (the 'Core Area') is that area bounded by the Inner Ring Road to the west, south and east and the River Cam to the north.

Constraints
The strategy recognises that the Core area is physically constrained. Unlimited and unrestricted access by motor vehicles is both impractical and undesirable. The strategy must ensure that more sustainable modes of transport, i.e. cycling walking and public transport, provide attractive and credible alternatives; but maintain vehicular access for essential needs.

Strategy
To achieve the overall objective within the constraints it is necessary to identify priorities for access within concentric rings around the historic core. The priorities within each ring must reflect the density of usage and capacity of the available space. These are set out below for each form of transport.

Walking
Ultimately all journeys begin and end on foot. Key streets in the city centre are destination streets and this is of at least equal importance to their role as access routes. In these streets pedestrians must have priority, elsewhere the aim is to ensure that all pedestrian routes are safe, continuous and attractive to users.

Cycling
In the heart of the city it is necessary to restrict cycling at times in the most densely used pedestrian destination streets. Elsewhere the aim is to ensure that cycle routes are safe and continuous and link to existing and planned radial routes serving the rest of the city and that provision is made for cycle parking close to the historic core and other major destinations.

Public Transport
The aim is to ensure that bus & taxi passengers have access to frequent and reliable services which penetrate as close as practicable to the destination streets. Where necessary public transport will be given priority over other motor vehicles in order to achieve this.

Essential Vehicular Access
Access for delivery vehicles, the disabled and to car parks and properties will need to be maintained. However, in order to achieve this within the overall objectives, there may be a need to restrict this access to certain times of day or certain routes.