Stagecoach have announced changes to the Citi 5 service (Cambridge-Bar Hill), commencing 15th March. There are also changes to the 5A and 5C services (Bar Hill-Swavesey).
Changes to the 5 will impact peak-hour travellers most – there are earlier departure times on some inbound journeys, as well as extended travel times, and changes to evening rush-hour times as well. But extended journey times apply through much of the day – and are particularly noticeable on Saturdays (when there are also significant changes to the service pattern for outbound trips).
After representations from Cambridge Area Bus Users, some consistency has been introduced to the 5A and 5C departure times, so that there’s now a regular pattern to those times (with the exception of the Swavesey Village College runs). Note, though, that ALL times on these journeys have changed.
There are no changes to Sunday services.
Some details can be found on the Stagecoach website. However, Stagecoach’s own description of the changes is far from complete. You are advised to refer to the new timetable for the fullest information. For a “side by side” comparison (available only until the new times are introduced) consult Traveline.
We note that these changes are cunningly hidden, on the Stagecoach website. You will not find them by clicking the ‘Service Updates’ link on the homepage (after setting your location to ‘Cambridge’). They are instead listed under ‘Promos and Offers’.
We have raised this with Stagecoach East management, but the simple job of copying and pasting the information to the correct page has not occurred to date (14/03/2020).
There is a similar issue with changes to Milton P&R services and forthcoming Busway improvements being cunningly hidden from search by intending passengers.
There are also errors in the 5/5A/5C timetable PDF. And a sadly-missed marketing/promotional opportunity. These are repeated from the existing timetable. Again, we have raised this with Stagecoach East management.
- Pages 1 and 2 of the timetable PDF do not show all journeys through the clockwise/anti-clockwise loops.
- One example is the Saturday (clockwise) 06:11 Swavesey – Over – Willingham – Longstanton – Bar Hill (06:00 ex-Fenstanton 5 arriving Cambridge 07:25). This should be included in p2 as well as its listing on p6.
- There are other examples of missing journeys on pp1,2 but, as a campaigning group, run entirely by volunteers, we can’t list them all.
- As the timetable stands, it could be designed to deliberately confuse intending passengers.
- Stagecoach are also missing the opportunity to promote links to the busway at Longstanton P&R: “Passengers may also change at Longstanton P&R for fast, frequent, busway services to…”
It shouldn’t be up to Cambridge Area Bus Users to point out a marketing opportunity, surely?
See also our separate post: Confuse-a-passenger! Stagecoach East’s Flying Circus?
Cambridge Area Bus Users 
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