Temporary cycling and walking measures are being put in place across Cambridgeshire during the Coronavirus crisis to help people get out and socially distance during this pandemic.

Many of Cambridgeshire County Council’s schemes will be authorised under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) which will be in place for 18 months, of which the first six months are a consultation period.

Information above is taken from the Cambridgeshire County Council’s press release, which you can read here: Cycling and walking support in midst of pandemic. The PDF of the full range of proposals discussed at the council’s Highways and Transport committee meeting on 16^th June 2020 can be read/downloaded here. It should be noted that this scheme (and others throughout the county) are subject to Statutory Guidance from the DfT.

Many of these schemes will have an impact upon bus services. Cambridge Area Bus Users hope that these will be mostly positive in creating routes that are less accessible by private care but remain accessible to buses and remove congestion. It is quite possible, however, that some schemes will adversely affect some bus services.

Cambridge Area Bus Users would like to hear from you about what is working well, and what is not.

You can add your comments, below this blogpost, or email contact.cabu@gmail.com with details and photos of anything you would like to see published on this site contact.cabu@gmail.com with details and photos of anything you would like to see published on this site, to tell us what you think, and we will pass on your suggestions.

This is not, however, the place for formal feedback on the temporary changes.
You can give feedback either via email at:
policyandregulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
or in writing to:
Policy and Regulation Team
Highways Depot
Stanton Way
HUNTINGDON
PE29 6PY

Residents along Stagecoach in Cambridge’s citi2 bus route hope that traffic-reduction measures on Cambridge’s notoriously-congested Mill Road could lead to a full restoration of services to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. We have a separate blogpost on that issue here, click through: Full service to Addenbrooke’s.

Could relief from traffic congestion in Cambridge’s Mill Road help improve bus services?

Temporary cycling and walking measures are being put in place along Cambridge’s Mill Road, during the Coronavirus crisis to help people get out and socially distance during this pandemic.

Work started on Wednesday, 24^th June to widen footways using temporary barriers. Where footpaths have been widened, the road will be narrowed and there will only be sufficient carriageway width to allow one vehicle past at a time, so give-way features will be introduced at each section of widened footway.

Mill Road Bridge will be closed to all vehicles except buses and cyclists, the closure will be enforced by signs and automatic number plate recognition cameras.

There is a full report on these measures on the Mill Road Bridges community group website here – Wider footways, barriers and bridge closure. Click through to view the blogpost, which has links to videos, news reports and more. Cambridge Area Bus Users see no need to duplicate this.

Your secretary emailed Amber Clark, Marketing Officer, Stagecoach East, saying, inter alia:

I would […] like to raise a concern about the citi2.

You appear to have no plan to re-instate full through running of the citi2 to Addenbrooke’s. The current timetable, with alternate weekday, day-time, duties being short-turned at Brooks Road Sainsbury’s seems set to continue.

When, under Andy Campbell’s directorship, this service pattern was introduced, the reason was, we were told, that traffic congestion on Mill Road caused such delays that this was the only way to maintain viability.

The Cambridgeshire County Council’s Covid-19 roadworks on Mill Road, Cambridge, are likely to greatly reduce congestion, and local county councillors, for Petersfield and Romsey divisions respectively, Councillor Linda Jones and Councillor Noel Kavanagh lobbied assiduously to ensure that a mooted proposal to make Mill Road one-way was taken off the table, as this would have made it impossible for you to operate a service along Mill Road.

I would like to hope that you will look again at this service pattern, in the light of the county’s work on traffic restrictions in Mill Road and the priority for buses over Mill Road Bridge.

Secretary, Cambridge Area Bus Users

We received a very helpful reply to the effect that, if the hopped for congestion relief in Mill Road does occur, Stagecoach have promised to consider reinstating a full citi2 service to Addenbrooke’s.

The pattern of services provided across Cambridge, as a result of previous work and the impact of covid-19 on people’s travel habits, will no doubt evolve more over the next 12 to 18 months than it had done in the previous two decades, but this consideration will absolutely be borne in mind.

Amber Clark, Marketing Officer, Stagecoach East

Cambridge Area Bus Users would like to know your views on the citi2 we will be happy to pass these on to Stagecoach and to those responsible for disbursing Covid-related bus revenue support.

The Mill Road Bridges blogpost is open for general comments about the works. Comments about the citi2 bus service can be added below this blogpost. For other Covid-related temporary works, and the effects on bus services, see the Cambridge Area Bus Users parallel blogpost – Covid-related cycling and walking measures.

This is not, however, the place for formal feedback on the temporary changes.
You can give feedback either via email at:
policyandregulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
or in writing to:
Policy and Regulation Team
Highways Depot
Stanton Way
HUNTINGDON
PE29 6PY

Phases B and D of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s Histon Road improvements project commence on Monday 29th June (Phase A comprises the work already taking place at the junction with Victoria Road). This involves closing Histon Road to all inbound traffic (including buses, therefore) between Kings Hedges Road and Victoria Road. According to the project website work can be expected to carry on until summer 2021.

Services affected are the Citi 8, Busway B, and X8.

The Citi 8  will divert via Kings Hedges Road, Arbury Road, Mere Way, Carlton Way, Gilbert  Road, Milton Road and Victoria Avenue.

The Busway B will operate from Histon on the route normally taken by the A – i.e. via CRC and the Science Park, heading to the City Centre along Milton Road. So it will omit the Shire Hall and Round Church Street stops (the latter is currently closed, but was otherwise due to reopen in early July).

The X8 is replaced by an additional Citi 8 service.

An additional service will be provided for local users of the Histon Road and Orchard Park areas. This service, the 8H, will leave from Emmanuel Road and follow the existing outbound Citi 8 route as far as the Kings Hedges Road junction, then head to Orchard Park (where it will operate via an anti-clockwise loop of Chieftain Way, Circle Drive and Chariot Way to Arbury Road), continuing via Mere Way,  Carlton Way,  Gilbert  Road, Milton Road and Victoria Avenue to the City Centre. Note, though, that the 8H operates only Monday-Saturday daytimes. There’s no evening or Sunday service.

For more information on the bus service revisions, go to the Stagecoach announcement, which includes a useful map of the diversions.

A reasonably concise summary of the current situation; last checked and updated 21st August.

[This page is no longer being updated. Consult the main Bus service changes and updates page or follow CABU on Twitter for subsequent changes.]

Stagecoach City Centre and Railway Station stop changes: Some Stagecoach services moved to new stops in Cambridge City Centre and at the Railway Station on 14th June. Check your stop here (NB: these maps do not show the New Square Busway stops, which continue to operate as normal).

Payment & Fares: If you have to pay by cash, please note that Stagecoach and A2B are operating an “exact fare” policy. If you tender more than the required fare, the surplus will be donated to local charities (and A2B will be doubling that amount). Stagecoach offer a 15% discount on selected tickets for NHS ID card holders, for staff employed at Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth Hospitals – details here.

Face coverings: Unless you are legally exempt, you have been required to wear face coverings on public transport since 15th June. These do NOT need to be medical-grade, however – home-made ones will suffice. See Face coverings to become mandatory on public transport on the Gov.uk website.

Reduced capacity: In order to maintain physical distancing requirements, capacity on all buses is significantly reduced and it’s possible you may not be allowed to board at busy times.

Stagecoach: Many Stagecoach services have returned to pre-pandemic timetables. Other routes are operating a reduced service, except for the R and City Sightseeing services, which remain suspended. For details, and timetable links, consult the Stagecoach website. And don’t forget to check which city centre or railway station stop your service departs from!

Whippet: Services are operating to their pre-lockdown regular timetables EXCEPT that the U continues with a temporary timetable (which includes operating to/from the Biomedical Campus on Saturday and Sunday).

National Express and Megabus: On National Express, Cambridge is currently served by the 075 (2 services per day to/from London via Stansted Airport), the 727 (6 services per day from Norwich to Heathrow Airport and 5 per day in the opposite direction), the 737 (4 services per day to/from Luton Airport and Oxford), and the 491 (1 direct service per day to/from London and 1 to/from Norwich). Further information is available from National Express. Megabus services serving Cambridge are currently suspended.

Other operators: A2B are operating a normal service. A number of other operators (e.g., Big Green Bus, Dews) run bus services on behalf of the County Council. So far as we are aware, these continue to run to the normal timetable.

The long-running – and frequently extended – diversion of Busway services between Histon and Orchard Park/CRC finally finishes on 29th March. From Monday 30th March services will return to the Busway between these points, following conclusion of work on the A14 overbridge. Orchard Park passengers, in particular, should take note as this involves buses on inbound and outbound journeys travelling on the opposite side of the Busway track from that which they’ve followed since June 2019.

Sadly, introduction of the enhanced Busway timetables, due to take place on the same day, has again been postponed. Instead, a temporary emergency timetable will be introduced, in common with much of the local Stagecoach network. See a separate post for more information on this development.

Stagecoach East’s Flying Circus?

Older travellers may remember a very silly Monty Python sketch titled Confuse-A-Cat. In retrospect probably not as funny as it seemed at the time…

Now, even less hilariously, Stagecoach East’s Flying Circus has found a new twist to the tired joke: Confuse-a-passenger!

Changes to service 5/5A/5C, Milton P&R and forthcoming Busway improvements are cunningly hidden from search by intending passengers.

You will not find them by clicking the ‘Service Updates’ link on the homepage (after setting your location to ‘Cambridge’).

IF you know where to look, you can find them listed under ‘Promos and Offers’.

No, we’ve no idea why service changes are listed in this ‘hidden’ location. We’re baffled.

As you would expect, we have raised this with Stagecoach East management, and are awaiting reply. The simple job of copying and pasting the information to the correct page has not occurred to date (14/03/2020).

See also our post on Stagecoach East’s Flying Circus’s confusing and misleading timetable for Cambridge citi5, 5A, 5C services.

A revised timetable for the Milton Park & Ride service is being introduced from 15th March.

The service frequency has been reduced to 5 per hour, and no will no longer serve the Grafton Centre (East Road) stop. All services – inbound and outbound – will call on Milton Road at the Union Lane and Westbrook Centre stops.

According to the detailed timetable uploaded to Traveline by the County Council, all services will, in addition, call at the New Square (Short Street) Busway stops. This would be highly unusual (indeed, possibly the first time that dedicated Busway stops within Cambridge city have been used by non-Busway services). Stagecoach was asked last week to confirm that this is, indeed, the plan – this post will be updated in the light of any information received.

For more information, including a link to the new timetable, consult the news item on the Stagecoach website. For the complete, detailed timetable, go to the Traveline site (click on the “All Stops” button).

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 service 5/5A/5C and forthcoming Busway improvements being cunningly hidden from search by intending passengers.

See also our separate post: Confuse-a-passenger! Stagecoach East’s Flying Circus?

Hosted in the Market town of Whittlesey (Whittlesea if you’re coming by train) near Peterborough, BusFest is one of the area’s largest Vintage Vehicle Gatherings. This is a great day out for all from enthusiasts to families – maybe your chance to discover what buses were like in your parents’ or grandparents’ time, or for parents and grandparents to reminisce!

We have been informed by Nathan of Eastern Bus Enthusiasts that the event is postponed.

This year’s BusFest is on Sunday 17^th May from 10:00 to 17:00

Note: At the time of posting this update (06/04/2020 13:15)
the BusFest webpage had yet to be updated.

Preserved vehicles will be used to operate a network of free bus services which consists of five routes to Ramsey, Peterborough, March, Turves, Yaxley & Thorney (see map).

Click through for full information, including an entry form if you have a preserved vehicle which you wish to enter.

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?