Working for bus passengers in and around Cambridge
Author: CBGbusUsers
Cambridge Area Bus Users
• seeks to represent – and campaign on behalf of – bus passengers in and around Cambridge;
• is independent of any political party.
Whippet are making a number of changes to their services from Monday 1st April (but note – there is a Sunday service in operation on all Whippet routes on 1st April).
X2. Journeys towards Huntingdon will be taking a different route out of the Biomedical Campus, no longer serving either Outpatients or Puddicombe Way. Journey times are being extended to try to address traffic congestion.
X3. This service is to take a different route in Cambridge on journeys from Huntingdon, and will serve Northampton Street, Bridge Street, Jesus Lane and Emmanuel Street instead of proceeding along Queen’s Road, Silver Street and Downing Street. Again, there are additional changes to the timetable to try to deliver a more punctual service.
18. The 0720 schooldays journey from St Neors will be departing at 0705 and serving Abbotsley, Great Gransden and Caxton. The 1632 from St Neots will continue to Cambridge rather than terminating at Barton. And service 18 is moving to Bay 3 at Drummer Street.
66. Again (and at the risk of sounding like a stuck vinyl record) there are minor timing changes designed to try to address punctuality. And Fenstanton gets three additional departures on Saturdays.
Full details and links to the new timetables are available from the Whippet website
As readers might have guessed, this is not the Daily Mail headline, which read…
EXCLUSIVE Britain’s e-bus ticking timebomb: How nearly TWO THOUSAND electric buses worth £800m face urgent recall over fears they could see burst into flames
If you really wish to read the inaccurate, misleading nonsense from Darren Boyle (2 March 2024) in the Daily Mail click here.
… a hysterical report in the Daily Mail claiming uncited fears that affected buses “could see [sic] burst into flames.” … The Mail also quoted FairFuelUK founder and Reform UK candidate for the London mayoral election Howard Cox as claiming that taxpayers will “have to fund these expensive buses being taken off the road.”
op cit, routeone Team, March 6, 2024
And the facts?
Alexander Dennis has issued a safety bulletin to operators of BYD ADL Enviro200EV and Enviro400EV battery-electric buses in relation to a potential recall issue around the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in some of those vehicles. … An under-development permanent fix will be introduced to deal with the problem. DVSA’s recall listing service shows that it affects 1,758 buses produced by the BYD Alexander Dennis partnership. In the meantime, operators have been advised to ensure that the Hispacold HVAC system is switched off when those vehicles are left unattended.
ibid
So which of Cambridge’s e-buses are affected?
Not these nine…
No. None of the nine Mellor Sigma 12 buses serving Whippet’s U1/U2 routes
Nor these thirty…
No, Not the Volvo electric buses allocated to the P&R routes and the citi2
So, which? And how many?
Just these two…
BYD ADL Enviro400EV
Just these two. ⬆︎ The Alexander Dennis electric double deckers supplied to Stagecoach East for a project between the operator and the Greater Cambridge Partnership, supporting an improvement in air quality in the city centre of Cambridge and giving the opportunity to inform potential future investment in a zero emission bus fleet.
So, these two EXPENSIVE BUSES bought with PUBLIC MONEY are going to be off the road over fears they could burst into flames?
Err… No. Stagecoach drivers and mechanics will ensure that the Hispacold HVAC system is switched off when these vehicles are left unattended, pending a permanent fix from manufacturers ADL.
This puts us in mind of…
There was no wrecks and nobody drownded ‘Fact, nothin’ to laugh at at all!
Stagecoach’s citi2 buses will again serve Parkside from Sunday 14th April 2024.
The Volvo electric buses allocated to the citi2 route will serve Parkside
Many years back, before the advent of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, Stagecoach’s citi2 route (towards Milton) stopped on Parkside, opposite the Fire Station. Then, as now, in the opposite direction (towards Addenbrooke’s) buses stopped at Mortimer Road (NaPTAN 0500CCITY370).
Cambridge Area Bus Users wondered, with the 905’s move to Drummer Street bus station releasing Parkside, Bay 16 (NaPTAN 0500CCITY476) whether this stop would be available for use by the citi2. So we asked. The response surprised us.
Rather than using Parkside, Bay 16, the citi2 buses will pick up and set down at the stop opposite the Fire Station – now known as The Busway, Parkside (0500CCITY117) – which was previously used.
The Busway Parkside (0500CCITY117) from Google Maps
Cambridge Area Bus Users welcomes this development as the stop…
will be useful for Grafton Area shoppers, with a largely traffic-free walking route to Fitzroy Street, via Melbourne Place and Eden Street;
will be of some use for passengers to/from Anglia Ruskin University in the evenings and weekends (when the access from Mackenzie Road is closed);
will serve students, staff and visitors to Parkside College.
Members and others will no doubt have seen reports in the local media about work on the Southern Busway between Hills Road bridge and the Addenbrooke’s Spur Junction, based on this press release – Guided Busway works begin to allow closure to be lifted, 06 February 2024 – from Cambridgeshire County Council.
Since February 2022, a section of the Guided Busway in one direction has been closed between Cambridge Railway Station and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. The inbound only track (closest to the maintenance track) was closed to allow for a temporary fence to be installed without reducing the width of the path used by pedestrians and cyclists. This measure has severely impacted the busway service and connections to key employment and health facilities.
The temporary fence was installed whilst we waited for an independent safety review and following ongoing communications with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and as part of our continuous review of safety on the busway.
The busway and the maintenance track (foot and cycle track) are currently programmed to re-open on Saturday 30 March.
Cambridge Area Bus Users wondered about speed limits, and asked some questions
The questions, and responses from a Cambridgeshire County Council Highways officer are shown below.
What northbound speed limit is proposed on the guideway?
The proposed speed limit will be the 30 mph restriction that was in place before the installation of the safety barrier, and which is in place on all of the operational parts of the southern section
Will this be mandated by the HSE, or at the discretion of Cambridgeshire County Council?
There has been no reference made by the HSE as to a required speed limit. As mentioned previously, the pre-existing speed limit will be in place when the closed guideway re-opens.
What is the justification for the 15mph limit on northbound buses leaving the guideway towards Station Place?
The speed limit was lowered to 15 mph several years ago, due to the increasing numbers of pedestrians, cyclists and other non-motorised traffic in this area. There is a transition area directly at the northern end of the Cambridge-bound guideway where cyclists cross between the carriageway and the maintenance track in both directions, and where there is more interaction with pedestrians using the maintenance track and the footpath towards Station Place. In addition, there is subsidiary traffic entering and leaving the same are via the access from the Obsidian development adjacent to the Busway.
Could this be raised to a 30mph limit?
While it would be possible to raise the speed limit to any required level, the Council would not wish to exponentially increase the risk of a collision with non-Busway traffic, and the increased likelihood of major injury or death arising from such an increase. The current speed limit allows bus drivers more time to react to what can be unpredictable movement by non-Busway users.
What is the justification for the 30mph limit on the southbound guideway to the Addenbrooke’s spur junction?
The speed limit across the entire southern section was reduced to a blanket level of 30 mph some years ago, largely in response to the increased numbers of pedestrians, cyclists and other non-motorised traffic arising from the construction of new housing developments, and the expansion of the Biomedical Campus at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. The speed limit is also in keeping with those in place on the road network around the Busway corridor.
Can the southbound guideway – separated from the cycleway/footway/maintenance track by the northbound guideway, and the new fence – revert to the original 56mph limit?
Whilst it would be possible to raise the pre-existing speed limit to the original speed limit of 56 mph, there is no compelling case to do so. The maximum theoretical transit time gained through increasing the speed limit to 56 mph over this limited distance would be approximately 62 seconds, assuming that a bus entered and left this section of guideway at that speed. However, as the speed limits at either end of the section would be lower, there would be a period on entry where a bus would need to accelerate to the maximum permitted speed, and subsequently a period where the bus would need to decelerate before exiting the guideway to match the speed limit in place at the end of the guideway. These actions would reduce the gains in transit time well below the theoretical maximum.
In addition, and possibly of a greater impact , all buses that use the southern section have their speeds regulated by on-bus control systems using GPS-based geo-fencing. The accuracy of these systems does not have sufficient accuracy to allow for differing speeds on the guideway tracks that are immediately adjacent to each other.
If the 30mph limit is mandated by the HSE, will the County Council and Combined Authority press the HSE to allow the limit to be raised?
As stated above, the HSE have not made reference to any required speed limit in the southern section. The rationale for the 30 mph has already been addressed in my response regarding your question on the 30 mph limit on the southbound guideway. As I have already stated, there is no compelling case to increase the speed limit, and the technology in use to regulate bus speeds currently in use would preclude a separate speed limit for one section of guideway in this section.
Whilst a 15mph limit is required for southbound buses at the point of entry to the southbound guideway, why does this apply from the junction with Station Place?
The reasons are the same as stated above, in response to your question regarding the 15 mph speed limit for buses leaving the northbound guideway.
Could this apply only from the overhead hanging height limit warning signs before the Hills Road bridge, with the 30mph limit applicable in Station Place continuing up to this point?
As outlined above, given the levels of non-Busway traffic using the area, there would be little to gain by doubling the speed limit for buses over such a short distance, and any gains in transit time would be negligible. The area between Station Place and the height restriction barrier is where large numbers of pedestrians cross the roadway from the station side to reach the path that eventually joins the maintenance track adjacent to the guideway south of Hills Road bridge, and an increase in the speed limit would increase the likelihood and severity of a collision between buses and non-Busway traffic.
We look forward to the re-opening and, even with the lower speed limits in both directions, buses will, once again be able to avoid the traffic congestion on Hills Road (which the Greater Cambridge Partnership and others seems reluctant to tackle).
The images displayed here are from BusAndTrainUser the retirement activity for Roger French OBE DL MA, former MD of Brighton&Hove Bus Cº, a blogging site which we are pleased to promote.
Long Road Sixth Form College are running an event regarding bus services across Cambridgeshire and surrounding areas, on Tuesday 5th March 2024 5:30pm – 7:00pm.
Since the changes to bus routes in October 2022, many local communities have found their bus service to be less than satisfactory; an issue that is particularly impacting young people accessing a variety of educational, work and social opportunities. We want this to change.
Share your questions and feedback with Mayor Dr Nik Johnson of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (our Transport Authority) who are raising additional Council Tax to fund more bus services, and representatives of bus companies Stagecoach, Whippet and Stephensons of Essex, who will be able to talk about any of their bus services; giving young people and their families the opportunity to share their feedback and get their questions answered.
Important information for attendees:
You must book 1 ticket for each person attending the event, including parents/carers.
On-campus parking is available. Please use public transport or car-share where possible.
Long Road Sixth Form College will be taking photos for use in their marketing materials and social media. If you would not like to be photographed please alert their photographer(s) when you see them, or move out of shot.
Stagecoach are rerouting service 905 within Cambridge from 18th February. This will mean a change to the stopping arrangements in both directions.
The 905 will no longer serve stops in Victoria Avenue and Maid’s Causeway. Instead it will head into the city centre down Bridge Streeet and Jesus Lane (calling at both stops along this route) before terminating at Drummer Street Bus Station (Bay 7). The same route is followed by trips towards St Neots and Bedford. Passengers for the Grafton Centre, therefore, will need to use the Jesus Lane stops. And the service will no longer be exiled to the Parkside terminus.
Cambridge Area Bus Users (CABU) have been asking for this service to return to Drummer Street for a while (the layout was unsuitable for the coaches that previously used to operate the service). Since the former X5 was split into two portions and double deckers introduced on the 905 there seemed to be no good reason for the service not to return to the Bus Station. The issue appears to have been the allocation of Drummer Street bays on FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) terms. The resolution of this issue to the benefit of service 905 passengers is welcomed by CABU.
[The digital timetable data currently loaded into journey planners and the like shows inbound services continuing to call at the Northampton Street stop, whereas there’s no corresponding stopping point shown on outbound trips. This seems illogical, but attempts to determine what’s actually going to happen on February 18th have so far failed to elicit a clear response. Sorry!]
Subsequent correspondence with Stagecoach East and with transport officers at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority have confirmed that both stops on Northampton Street will be served.
The Cambridge-Saffron Walden Sunday service 132, operated by Myalls, is being revised from 31st December. The changes aren’t major, and are designed to provide a little extra recovery time should services encounter congestion. The net effect is that most departure times are 5-10 minutes later than at present.
It’s worth mentioning that this service provides the only direct journeys of the week between Cambridge/Trumpington and the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. It also serves Duxford village, Ickleton, Great Chesterford and Littlebury.
Thanks are due to Essex County Council for providing news of the changes, via its Bus Passenger News. At the time of writing the new timetable seems to be available only on the Travel Essex website: https://www.travelessex.co.uk/search-for-a-timetable/timetable/356 (Traveline and Bustimes both still display the old timetable, but that will doubtless change shortly).
Centrebus are making minor changes to the timetable for service 26 (Cambridge-Royston) with effect from Monday 20th November. These affect the evening peak timetable, in an attempt to improve the reliability of late afternoon and evening peak services.
Further changes to a small number of Stagecoach routes (and the introduction of one new service) are taking place with effect from Sunday 29th October.
Citi 1. A new early morning trip will leave Arbury at 4.55 a.m., Monday to Saturday, heading to Fulbourn.
Citi 2. Minor changes are being made to the weekend timetable.
PR5 (Milton Park & Ride). In addition to minor timetable changes, Landbeach will now be served every 30 minutes on outbound journeys (Landbeach passengers travelling to Cambridge know to board outbound services and travel via Waterbeach).
City Sightseeing. The winter timetable returns, with minor changes.
25A (new service). This is a new service operating a small number of early morning and mid-evening trips, Monday to Saturday, between Trumpington Park & Ride and the Biomedical Campus. This service, like the 25 (which it supplements) will operate via Addenbrooke’s Road, not the Busway.
LInks to these revised and new timetables are available from the Stagecoach website.
Here are some details from the launch event at West Hub, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0US, on Friday 29th September 2023.
One of the nine Mellor Sigma 12 buses serving the U1/U2 routes This is one of two with personalised registration marks Note the cameras which replace traditional exterior mirrors
We don’t intend to duplicate reports from elsewhere, but add a few details about the vehicles and the attention to detail which has gone into the new vehicles and the re-imagined routes.
Reports from the University and the news media, give the overview and key details of the new U1/U2 7-day/week service from Girton Corner to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. (Yes, the Biomedical Campus is served on Sundays, and Newnham gains a Sunday bus service to the rail station and the Biomedical Campus.)
The nine Mellor Sigma 12 buses – designed, engineered and fitted out in the UK – have two wheelchair/buggy bays (each with three tip-up seats for when not fully occupied by wheelchairs or child buggies) and ten highly-accessible, fixed, high-back seats on the low-floor section, forward of the raised area to the rear, under which some of the batteries are housed.
Interior of one of the Mellor Sigma 12 vehicles showing ten highly-accessible, fixed, high-back seats on the low-floor section, forward of the raised area
Above the front wheel arches are three slightly-wider single seats designed to accommodate a parent with a small child.
One of the three slightly-wider single seats designed to accommodate a parent with a small child
Smartphone getting low on its charge? The University, Whippet and Mellor have the solution…
You can charge up wirelessly, or with your USB-A or USB-C cable Note, also, the STOP button on the seat-back and the button for the reading lamp
Passengers benefit from clear audio-visual announcements for the direction of travel (eg ‘Towards Girton Corner’) and the next stop, comfortable high-backed seats (ten of which are accessible on the low-floor section), two wheelchair/buggy bays, multi-way phone charging, a STOP button on every seat-back, and even a reading-lamp to help decipher those all-important marginalia.
Drivers have the benefits of external cameras at the front (replacing traditional mirrors) and at the rear, an AI-assisted hazard detection system, fully adjustable driving-seat, steering wheel and a dashboard which adjusts with the wheel.
The enhanced audio-visual announcements mentioned above are only part of the mission to remove anxiety from bus travel. The installation of seat-back STOP buttons in addition to more traditionally-located buttons help those with hidden disabilities. But these features are only part of the integrated mission.
West Hub bus stop, towards Cambridge Biomedical Campus
All stops have been updated with a printed timetable in a weatherproof case, and a bus stop flag which shows the direction of travel. Wherever possible, bus stops have many more passenger-friendly features.
The West Hub bus stop shown in the foregoing photograph, has a shelter with integrated seating, good hard-standing, a printed timetable in a weatherproof case, e-paper real-time passenger information, and gives easy access to the bus for wheelchair users. The bus stop flag reads ‘towards city centre, rail station & Biomedical Campus’.
This stop fulfils all of the criteria for quality Bus stop infrastructure in our joint briefing paper with Living Streets, Cambridge.
A feature to give a smile
The other of the two vehicles with personalised registration marks
Recently, Roger French OBE DL MA, BusAndTrainUser, visited Whippet as part of his fortnightly A to Z of bus and train companies. Read the blogpost here: W is for Whippet.
Cambridge Area Bus Users 