Bus service changes and updates

Index:

Huntingdon linked to Thrapston and Corby from 28th October

Whippet are running a new service from Huntingdon to Thrapston and Corby, starting Monday 28 October. The service, number 18, replaces a former Centrebus service – supported by Northamptonshire County Council – that operated on the western half of the route. The Huntingdon-Thrapston portion is new (or a reinstatement, depending how far back your memory goes).

Some of the services connect at Huntingdon with the X3 Cambridge service.

Further information, including a timetable and route map, is available on the Whippet website.

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Stagecoach East’s bus service review

Stagecoach East are undertaking a thorough review of all of their bus services, throughout the region, including the Cambridge area. Cambridge Area Bus Users don’t have ‘inside knowledge’ on the details but we commend the company’s bold initiative.

At the risk of encouraging our members and followers to become ‘armchair route-planners’ we’d love to hear your views.

Head to the Stagecoach bus service review post, and add your (polite) comments.

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Citi 1 & 2 (also 16A) “temporary” route changes from 9th September

Work at the junction of Queen Edith’s Way and Fendon Road, commencing on 9th September and expected to last for 29 weeks (so until the end of March 2020), will require the temporary rerouting of services Citi 1, Citi 2 and 16A. Some stops will not be served whilst the work is being carried out. The most significant change is on the Citi 2, which, it is planned, will not serve Addenbrooke’s Hospital during this time.

For details of the changes, including a very useful map, consult this Stagecoach East service update page.

Stagecoach’s Citi2 service is a vital link to Addenbrooke’s Hospital for residents in and around Mill Road, Perne Road, Birdwood Road, Walpole Road and Wulfstan Way. To a lesser extent Chesterton residents are also affected. Cambridge Area Bus Users find it unacceptable that the Citi2 will not serve Addenbrooke’s Hospital for over six months. Read more here.

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Whippet to withdraw service “P” after 23rd August

Whippet have announced that they are to withdraw service “P”. The final day of operation will be Friday 23rd August. The service currently provides three rush-hour services from Swavesey to the Biomedical Campus (via both northern and southern sections of the Busway), and three journeys in the opposite direction during the evening rush-hour. During the day the buses have been operating a service from Drummer St to the Biomendical Campus via the Railway Station, offering an additional three trips per hour. All parts of the route will continue to be served by Stagecoach.

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Busway diversion between Histon and Orchard Park until 29th August 4th November

[UPDATE: It was announced at the end of August – and at very short notice – that the closure and diversion will remain in place until 4th November.]

The Guided Busway is closed between Histon and Orchard Park until 29th August as work continues on the A14 bridge close to Orchard Park. Originally two relatively brief closures were anticipated, but Highways England now expects that there will need to be an uninterrupted closure. Reopening is scheduled to take place at 05.00 on Friday 30th August, according to the latest County Council announcement. (Note, though, that Stagecoach currently anticipate the closure continuing until 1st September.)

The Stagecoach news item gives details of the diversion, and of alternative stopping arrangements. The Whippet “P” service presumably takes the same route as the Stagecoach “B”.

One feature of the diversion is that stops within Orchard Park are “reversed”. So those on the south side of the Busway are used for buses towards Histon, Longstanton, etc., whilst stops on the north side are for buses towards the City and beyond. These will be “A” services (and perhaps “D”, too, although it’s not been possible to confirm that) instead of the usual “B”. Which also means that Orchard Park passengers have direct services to the main railway station and Addenbrooke’s for the first time.

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Dews taking over HACT services 46A, 65 and 150 from 15th July

A number of services currently operated by Huntingdonshire Area Community Transport are being taken over by Dews from 15th July. These are: 46A (Huntingdon-Hampton); 65 (St Neots-Buckden) and 150 (St Neots-Kimbolton/Tilbrook). There are no changes to the timetables for these services.

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HACT 28 (Gamlingay area routes) cancelled from 14th July

One of the services currently operated by Huntingdonshire Area Community Transport is the 28 – a mix of morning and evening commuter and school runs, connecting into journeys towards Cambridge, and a Thursdays-only St Neots market day service. Roughly speaking, they’re based around Gamlingay and that area of South Cambridgeshire. Sadly, these journeys are all cancelled from 14th July, and there will be no replacement. According to the County Council, there were no bidders when the contract was tendered.

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St Ives town changes from 8th July (services 1A, 9, 15, 21, 22, 45A)

The opening of Morrisons’ St Ives store brings with it a number of changes to the town’s bus services on 8th July.

Services 1A, 9, 15, 21, 22 and 45A are rerouted to serve Morrisons.

1A: Most, but not all, services will serve Morrisons. Some services also operate via Fen Drayton for the first time. There are new times for off-peak services. Here is the new timetable.

9, 15: Arrival times beyond Morrisons, in both directions, are 4-8 minutes later than previously. Here is the new 9 timetable, and here is the new 15 timetable.

21, 22: Journeys depart St Ives Bus Station 5 minutes earlier than previously. Here is the new 21 timetable, and here is the new 22 timetable.

45A: All services serve Morrisons. As a consequence, the 1030 ex-Huntingdon will run 15 minutes later, and the 1005 and 1105 ex-St Ives Bus Station, as well as starting at Morrisons, also operate 10 minutes later from the Bus Station onwards. Here is the new timetable.

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Newmarket area changes from 8th July (services 12 & 204)

Two service alterations take effect in the Newmarket area on 8th July. On the 12, the Big Green Bus early morning Monday-Friday service will now depart Newmarket at 0601 and run 5-8 minutes earlier throughout. And on the same operator’s 204 (also a Mon-Fri route), the morning service will depart Isleham at 0653 and run 10 minutes earlier throughout, whilst the early evening return will depart Newmarket at 1825 and run 20 minutes later throughout, thus providing more reliable connections with Stagecoach services to/from Cambridge.

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Stagecoach A & D serve Royal Papworth from 3rd July

Stagecoach services A & D are finally able to serve the new Royal Papworth with effect from today, Wednesday 3rd July. This rerouting was originally planned to coincide with the opening of the new hospital, but was delayed because of a problem with the rising bollards. These services will also revert to using the stop outside the Rosie Maternity Hospital main entrance.

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Routes 114 and 117 operator change from 8th July

From Monday 8th July, the Monday to Friday services on these routes will be run by independent operator A2B. The Saturday service continues to be operated by Big Green Bus. Rather more importantly, there are no changes to the timetable.

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Stagecoach citi2 diverted, via Maids Causeway & Coldhams Lane

From Monday 1^st July – Sunday 25^th August 2019 Cambridge’s Mill Road railway bridge is closed to traffic for railway engineering works.

Full timetables and route maps for the diverted citi2, the 2A (Petersfield) and 2B (Romsey) shuttles are now available on the Stagecoach East website. This will be supplemented by free Dial-a-Ride services for those in need.

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Take part in the Stagecoach Guided Busway public consultation

The new management team at Stagecoach East are reviewing all of their services to see how they could be improved and attract more passengers. They are reaching out to passenger groups, residents’ groups parish councils and others.

This is their first (general) public consultation. Please give your feedback.

From 1^st – 21^st July 2019 Stagecoach are asking members of the public to give their views on their Guided Busway services.
Fill out the survey and give them your thoughts and views. If you take part you could WIN one of three £50 Love2shop gift vouchers!
Click here to take part in the survey.

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100-Seat buses for the Busway

Stagecoach group’s Press release of 20^th May 2019 announced:

“Stagecoach plans £80million new vehicle orders to deliver better mobility and air quality” … [including] a fleet of 12 new double deck vehicles for the Cambridge Guided Busway, delivering more capacity than ever before, carrying 100 passengers.”
These will be UK-manufactured Alexander Dennis vehicles, like those in use by Lothian Transport.