In light of the recent decision to approve the proposed Cambourne to Cambridge busway, Cambridge Area Bus Users makes the following statement:
Cambridge Area Bus Users is generally supportive of initiatives that will lead to improved services for passengers. This is especially important in the Cambridge area in the absence of any serious attempt to address congestion that impacts on the efficiency of bus services, and a more effective use of the road network.
The recent approval by government inspectors of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s proposals for a dedicated busway between Cambourne and Cambridge might be seen as a largely positive development. It is not. There is no plan for the route or routes that buses will take at the end of the busway in the Grange Road area; the segregated bus infrastructure stops once it reaches the outskirts of Cambridge and is missing where it is most needed; a route to Grange Road fails to address the needs of those attempting to reach the major travel destinations in the north, south, east, or centre of Cambridge; the proposed schedule of services fails to meet the capacity needs of the planned 2000-space car park at Scotland Farm, let alone the residents in 19,500 homes in Cambourne or the new development at Bourn Airfield. It will not help residents reach jobs, customers reach shops, youngsters get to school, or those not in education, employment, or training access the opportunities they need.
Lacking the ambition and scale that Cambridge so desperately needs, the busway as proposed will fail to address our current transport challenges, forcing more people into cars, depressing the local economy and inhibiting growth.
Crucially, since the initial plans for the busway were formed over a decade ago, Cambridge has moved on, and the project is outdated and has been superseded by events. We have plans for East-West Rail to have a station at Cambourne, providing a significant access corridor to Cambridge South. The Greater Cambridge Development Corporation is a new body established to facilitate urban development in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, focusing on delivering infrastructure alongside new homes, specifically including Transport links. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has an elected Mayor responsible for the Local Transport Plan, with plans for a Mass Rapid Transit system. The operation of the bus network is planned to move to a franchised model. Any new transport infrastructure should be part of a fully integrated plan, rather than isolated piecemeal efforts.
It is CABU’s view that no work should commence on the proposed busway until the issues surrounding where and how passengers go from Grange Road has been resolved, that adequate capacity and performance have been demonstrated, and that it is demonstrated how the proposal integrates with the wider transport strategy for Greater Cambridge; unless it can be shown that the busway as planned can meet those requirements, we should look to alternative proposals that can meet the needs of those travelling around Cambridge.
For more information, contact us.
Cambridge Area Bus Users 