For the most part, the introduction of bike lanes in British towns and cities has been received positively.

With the new infrastructure, many Britons who can have put down their car keys and opted to hit the road and get some exercise while they're at it.

Not only have the lanes acted as a way to save money, but they've also reduced congestion and made urban areas safer.

In some instances, however, the lanes are frowned upon, and residents are up in arms over what they say will destroy the heritage of their sleepy little village.

The idyllic Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester has been thrown into a two-wheeled maelstrom after it recently took legal action over a proposed cycleway—an initiative that some residents argue threatens the essence of their historic home.

The legal challenge began on March 25 with a three-day judicial review at the High Court. At its centre was opposition from Grantchester Parish Council to the construction of a new "greenway"—a multi-use trail for cyclists, walkers, and equestrians—designed to connect Haslingfield with Cambridge, passing directly through Grantchester.

The greenway, backed by the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP)—a body comprising members of Cambridgeshire County Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, and Cambridge City Council—was not opposed in principle. Rather, residents objected to its proposed route, claiming it would alter the village’s distinctive character and heritage.

Crucially, the council alleges that at a 2022 meeting, then-GCP executive board member Bridget Smith gave assurances that the route would be altered if the majority of residents opposed it. In a subsequent public consultation, 73 percent of respondents did, in fact, object to the Grantchester section. However, the GCP denies that any such “promise” was ever made.

The dispute ultimately revolved around whether the alleged commitment was legally binding. The parish council's legal team argued that if the promise was “clear and unambiguous,” then the decision to proceed with the current route should be overturned. But accounts of the meeting differ significantly.

Judge Mrs Justice Lieven appeared visibly frustrated during proceedings. “This is just verging on insanity,” she remarked on the first day, reacting to an intense cross-examination that resembled a criminal trial more than a judicial review. “There is an incredibly narrow issue of fact as far as I can see here,” she added. “It will merit very few questions.”

The final day of the review, March 27, concluded with closing statements after Mr Charles Streeten, representing the GCP, presented 30 pages of cross-examination. Justice Lieven reserved her judgment without providing a timeline, though the parish council’s legal team anticipates a wait of several months.

Back in Grantchester, as things wrapped up in London, villagers reflected on the surreal nature of the ordeal. “If I was the judge at the end of the first morning I’d have said, ‘Why is this in court?’” said 75-year-old Ray Steward, speaking to the Daily Telegraph from The Rupert Brooke pub, named for the famous poet who once lived in the village.

While the concept of greenways may seem appealing at first glance, the controversy lies in the specifics of the implementation. A GCP spokesperson told the publication: “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.”

Some visitors, particularly those from outside the village, appear to support the project. One, 70-year-old cyclist Steven, told the Telegraph: “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.”

Many say concerns aren't over an increase in visitor numbers. The village already draws significant attention thanks to its history, natural beauty, and growing television fame. On a typical midweek morning, a handful of tourists can be seen strolling through the village.

What they fear most is that the expected increase in visitors won’t be significant enough to justify the greenway’s cost or its potential impact. GCP projections estimate a 25 percent rise in users, but that figure may not represent a large absolute increase.

On one section of the route near Burnt Close, daily cycle journeys might only rise from 26 to 33—an increase of just seven. On another stretch, The Broadway, which runs alongside Grantchester Meadows, usage is projected to climb from 148 to 185.