Want to go on a leisurely stroll along the backs and enjoy views of some splendid college architecture? Or perhaps you wish to de-stress by sitting along the riverbank watching punts, ducks and geese go by. Unfortunately for you, certain colleges think it appropriate to restrict access to the riverbank and deprive you of this joy.

Despite having no buildings on the west side of the river, King’s College, Clare College and Trinity College are gatekeeping acres of beautiful green space along the backs. Only members of these colleges are able to enjoy these spaces, with strict rules and even fees restricting others’ access. This should not be the case.

“River colleges are acting like hotels with private beaches”

If you are not in the privileged position of being a member of the University, King’s will charge extortionate amounts if you wish to enter its grounds. For a small sum of just £48, a family of 2 adults and 2-3 children can enjoy the experience of exploring the college grounds – and that’s only on weekdays if they book in advance. And what if someone just wants to go to the backs without seeing King’s chapel or the rest of the college? Too bad – it costs the same amount anyway. To put these prices in context, a 90 minute punt hire from Scudamore's costs £42.50. It is quite literally cheaper for a family to punt to King’s backs, get off and walk around the grounds, get back on and proceed to enjoy punting along all the other river colleges than it is to book a visit to the college grounds. Whilst Trinity College does allow free access to its grounds, this is only between 9am and 5pm, and they disappointingly do not join up to Clare and King’s portions of the backs.

Thanks to the restrictive practices of colleges, people are denied the opportunity to enjoy a pleasant walk through greenery along the river with a backdrop of splendid-looking colleges. Instead, trips to the backs are dominated by a not-so-pleasant trek along Queen’s Road with an unaesthetic view of vehicles whizzing past.

It is completely absurd that something as simple as enjoying nature should be restricted or even monetised by colleges. Whether knowingly or not, these river colleges are currently acting in a manner resembling hotels with private beaches or private estates shutting off access to open countryside. Opening up the backs to the public would help to create a culture where simple pleasures like rivers, parks and aesthetic architecture can be enjoyed free of physical or financial restrictions.

These features of the environment are not just trivial bits of outdoor eye candy but have tangible effects on our lives. Urban green space is known to improve the physical and mental well-being of city-dwellers, yet these benefits cannot be reaped if such spaces are inaccessible. It is lamentable that so many visitors to and residents of Cambridge are prevented by colleges from enjoying some of the city’s best green spaces. Instead, colleges should provide unrestricted access to the backs where this does not encroach on the main sites of the colleges themselves.

“It is cheaper for a family to punt to King’s backs than it is to book a visit to the college grounds”

I am not suggesting that all the grounds of King’s, Clare, Trinity (and potentially also John’s) should be made accessible to the public. I am not even suggesting that the entirety of the backs or the riverfront be made accessible. I simply wish for the western bank of the Cam, where it has not already been built upon, to be opened up for public access. Ideally, the paddocks of all the colleges spanning this area would be connected into one contiguous park, providing ample green space and a long stretch of river to enjoy. I’m no fortune teller, but I’m fairly confident that the combination of a central location, great views of historical buildings, green space and the river would surely make this a popular spot.

Cambridge colleges must remember their responsibilities not only as academic institutions, but also as important components of the city’s built environment. Colleges take up such a great proportion of the centre of Cambridge and are so intertwined with the city that their planning decisions will inevitably affect both their own students and the wider population, including other students, residents and tourists. Therefore, efforts to make the city a pleasant place with plenty of amenities can strongly benefit from input by colleges.

It’s time that the river colleges take their duties to the wider population on board and open up the backs to the public.