Bus Stops: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

At the July 2026 Cambridge Area Bus Users Annual General Meeting, there was considerable discussion about the poor state of bus stop infrastructure in the Cambridge area. The Executive Committee resolved to create a post about this to inform the membership.

Let’s start with the good

Just an unremarkable stop. What’s special about that?

As caption and subsequent text — Stanley Road (outbound) 0500CCITY165 (outside Aldi, Newmarket Road, Cambridge). Click the image to explore on Google Maps.

At first glance this is an unremarkable stop. There are, however, a number of features which suggest that whoever commissioned and installed the infrastructure was actually thinking about the needs of bus passengers.

This stop is provided with a shelter, with integral seating, set back at the edge of the highway boundary. A bus stop flag has been mounted on an adjacent street-lighting column. Real-time passenger information, of e-paper type, powered by a solar panel, is installed close to the shelter at the upstream end. A lockable case contains printed route/timetable information. There are no obstructions for passengers boarding/alighting. Litter bins are well-sited. A raised kerb aids easy boarding/alighting, which is of particular benefit to wheelchair-using passengers and parents with children in buggies.

Now a selection of the bad

What’s so bad about that? There’s a shelter.

Addenbrooke’s and city-bound passengers benefit from a shelter with integrated seating and hardstanding, whilst Fulbourn-bound passengers have no shelter. Both stops benefit from timetable cases, although the city-bound timetable is cunningly hidden the wrong side of the lamp-post. However neither stop could be considered accessible. Reaching the stop on the left involves slithering down a grassy bank; the stop on the right additionally involves the hazard of crossing a 40mph road with no pedestrian crossing.

Another one with a shelter? Are we being picky?

There is, indeed, a shelter, with hardstanding and integrated seating, and a printed timetable in a locked case. However, neither the contractors nor whoever commissioned the infrastructure seem to have considered where passengers would board, or alight from, buses. The adjacent patch of parched, dry soil is fine for able-bodied passengers in good weather.

When that patch is wet, muddy and slippery, it is a hazard for all passengers, but particularly those using wheelchairs or other mobility aids.

PS: explore this stop on Google Maps. Should it now be in the ‘Ugly’ category?

And the ugly

Ah, point taken.

The shelter has a broken roof, is covered in graffiti and fly-posting. The pole supporting the adjacent real-time passenger information display also hosts a timetable case, which is empty and graffitied. We are uncertain who is responsible for this shelter…

Who is responsible for our bus stops?

Responsibility for bus stops in the Cambridge area is split between various bodies. Here is brief digest:

Cambridgeshire County Council (the Highway Authority) is the body which has traditionally approved the siting of bus stops – although the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is now the Transport Authority, so there are overlapping responsibilities.
Bus stop locations should then be entered on the National Public Transport Access Nodes (NaPTAN) database.
The Combined Authority and/or Highway Authority is responsible for providing good hard-standing for bus stops; and should provide a bus-stop pole, unless an adjacent street-lighting column can be used.
Provision of a bus stop flag is, currently, the responsibility of the bus operator, as is a timetable case and printed timetable.
Real-Time Passenger Information displays (pole-mounted, integral within a shelter, or of the more modern, compact e-paper type), if provided, is the responsibility of the Combined Authority. The RTPI feed is operated by contractor Vix Technology on behalf of the Combined Authority.
Bus shelters are, generally, the responsibility of the lower-tier authorities (eg Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council) who may have agreements with advertising companies (eg Bauer Media Outdoor UK, formerly Clear Channel/JC Decaux) which provide and maintain some shelters (in return for the right to sell static or moving advertisements). Additionally Parish Councils may choose to install shelters and seating. (Good examples can be found in the Histon & Impington and Great Shelford parishes.)
However, when roads are re-modelled (Hills Road, Histon Road, Milton Road) using Greater Cambridge Partnership money it is unclear who has responsibility for design of siting of stop and shelters.
Cambridge Area Bus Users is not aware of the existence of any bus stop design manual published or followed by the Combined Authority to guide new installations, or programmes of improvement.

How did it come to this?

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority have a poor inheritance, from when Cambridgeshire County Council were the Transport Authority.

Back in April 2019, a (then) senior county councillor and (then) public transport officer, explained that:

Bus stop locations are the decision of the county council in consultation with bus operators and are then entered on the National Public Transport Access Nodes (NaPTAN) database. A pole may be provided where a convenient piece of street furniture, such as a street lighting column, is not available. It is the responsibility of the operator to mount their flag on the pole. Timetable frame and flag are installed by the bus operator. Only about half the stops have a flag, the rest are unmarked.

It was only on 15^th November 2023, following public questions on behalf of Cambridge Area Bus Users, that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s Transport & Infrastructure Committee agreed that:

(7.2.e) The CPCA would go through an options process to understand what was the right approach for a combined authority to take in regard to ownership and maintenance of bus stop infrastructure.

Translation: The Combined Authority know the locations of bus tops (from the NaPTAN database) but we’ve no real idea what’s installed at each location: pole? bus stop flag? timetable case?shelter? seat? Oh, and we don’t really know who installed what, still less who is responsible for maintaining what.

The Deputy Mayor at that time, Anna Smith, did promise that there would be a nominated officer charged with oversight of bus stop infrastructure. See: Transport & Infrastructure Committee Draft Minutes Wednesday 15^th November 2023.

Positive developments

At the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Transport Committee on 4^th March 2026 a programme of Bus Stop Infrastructure Improvements was agreed.

To see if there are improvements planned for a bus stop which you use, read/download the Bus Stop/Shelter Infrastructure Improvements programme PDF produced by Systra for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. The criteria for selection can be found in this report to the committee: Bus Stop/Shelter Infrastructure Improvements Report.

What standards do Cambridge Area Bus Users think Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority should be aiming for?

The October 2023 joint position paper from Cambridge Area Bus Users and Living Streets, Cambridge has a good summary of our views. Additional links are provided for those who would like to read more.

Bus stop infrastructure – Siting and Design (A joint position paper from Cambridge Area Bus Users and Living Streets Cambridge) [October 2023]
Vix Technology supports campaign for national bus stop standard [Paul Halford, RouteOne, 24 November 2025]
Bus Stop Stories (Video) [Campaign for Better Transport, December 2024]
Better Bus Stops: Creating a national bus stop standard PDF [Campaign for Better Transport, December 2024]
Better Bus Stops: Setting a standard for printed passenger information PDF [Campaign for Better Transport, October 2025]
Accessible bus stop design guidance [Public Transport Team, Surface Strategy & Planning, Transport for London, January 2017]

The (un)reliability of RTPI and the lack of printed timetable

Our Executive Committee diligently report failures of the RTPI system – both of hardware and data.
We are looking, more strategically, on why some services do not seem to track, or to give a realistic estimate of bus arrival times.
A survey of printed information (or the lack thereof) at key locations is also being undertaken.
Our Executive Committee member for St Ives has worked with others to produce an information leaflet and vastly improved printed information in and around St Ives Bus Station.

All of these will form the subject of forthcoming posts.

Annual General Meeting and Executive Committee Summer 2026 update

Cambridge Area Bus Users’ Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday 11 July 2026 at 14:45, in the Great Western Room, The Signal Box Centre, 82 Glenalmond Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 8DB
Eighteen members were present, with apologies received from another ten members.

Chair’s remarks, Secretary’s and Treasurer’s Reports

Hugh Taylor (Vice Chair 2025-26), Richard Wood (Secretary 2025-26) and Miranda Fyfe (Treasurer 2025-26) contributed opening remarks, including a special thanks to Peter Griffin (Chair 2025-26, who needs to move to Nottingham for family reasons) for steering the Executive Committee through the first post re-launch year; an overview of the Executive Committee’s work over the year; and the financial report, respectively.

Executive Committee member Sarah Hughes (also Campaigns Officer of the Cambridgeshire Sustainable Travel Alliance) added further detail of Cambridge Area Bus Users’ collaborative work with the Sustainable Travel Alliance and with Cambridge Citizens.

For full details, view/download the Report on Cambridge Area Bus Users Annual General Meeting 2026 (PDF)

The work of St Ives Executive Committee member Anthony Stanton, in collaboration with St Ives Cares, St Ives Town Council and others in producing publicity to promote local bus services was also highlighted. View/download the excellent St Ives Bus Leaflet (PDF). The Executive Committee believes that this is an exemplar of how our transport authority (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority) should be marketing our bus services.

2026 Constitution Update

In 2018, Cambridge Area Bus Users was established as an affiliate of Bus Users UK. the constitution adopted at the Inaugural General Meeting reflected this. Bus Users UK no longer have an affiliate structure. An update to our constitution was required. View/Download the 2026 constitution here.

2026-27 Executive Committee

The following ten members of Cambridge Area Bus Users were elected, nem con:

Aland Chan
Miranda Fyfe
Geoff Heathcock
Sarah Hughes
Mark Reader
Anthony Stanton
Hugh Taylor
Martin Thorne
Peter Tribble
Richard Wood

At the first Executive Committee meeting for 2026-27 held online on 4th August 2026 the officer positions were agreed as follows:

Chair: Hugh Taylor
Secretary: Richard Wood
Treasurer: Miranda Fyfe
Vice-Chair: Peter Tribble

Recent Executive Committee Activities

St Ives Bus publicity (see above) and improvements to information in St Ives bus station and the Station Road stop
Frequent reports on errors with at-stop and online real-time bus information
Liaising with Living Streets, Cambridge, and Highway Officers about improving safe pedestrian routes across Emmanuel Street and St Andrew’s Street
Liaising with the Cambridge Citizens group campaign to retain and enhance the Tiger Pass for young passengers
Collaborating with planners and designers working on improvements to Mill Road, Cambridge, to improve bus stop infrastructure
Pressing Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority for improvements to bus stop infrastructure (see separate, forthcoming post)
Questioning Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority about funding for improved bus services
Meeting with senior management of bus operators and with key politicians to share insights
Continuing work on improving and updating our website
Increasing and improving the relevance of our social media channels
Responding to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Bus Network Review (see separate post)

Membership fees

With Cambridge Area Bus Users having returned to active campaigning, we hope that many more of those on our mailing list will be inspired to make the suggested £5 per year (£10/year for a family) contribution towards this work.

Members can make one-off payments or regular (Standing Order) payments into our bank account or you can donate using PayPal (opens in a new tab). Our bank account details are:

Bankers: Barclays
Account name: Cambridge Area Bus Users
Sort Code: 20-17-20
Account N^o: 33197727

(Please note: we are unable to support Direct Debits. Sorry.)

Southern Busway – Planned Reopening

From Stagecoach map annotated by Roger French

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.
Guided Busway works begin to allow closure to be lifted, Cambridgeshire County Council, 06 February 2024

Photo from bus, showing overgrown northbound track — Photo courtesy of BusAndTrainUser

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.