A guided busway driver who was 'tidying up' his cab when his bus came off the tracks on 20 November has been fined £600.
See article in Cambridge News.
A further article on this topic has appeared in the Cambridge News ( 9 March, pages 1 and 3) - but not yet available online. Andy Campbell, managing director of Stagecoach east, has said the, despite this accident, the busway is still safer than travelling on ordinary buses. The driver in this case also went through a red light. the driver concerned no longer works for Stagecoach.
There needs to be a gap between the cycle lane and the bus lane because if you are too close to the bus lane whilst on the cycle track and a bus passes you, you get a vacuum effect
ReplyDeleteThe incident on 20 November was the one where a bus failed to enter the guideway at Longstanton crossing, and ended up at an angle on the opposite track. Fortunately it was on the opposite side of the busway from the cycle track otherwise a cyclist or walk could have been injured, possibly fatally.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the narrow sections of cycle track you are referring to have to be taken with great care by cyclists. For example, crossing the Ouse Viaduct. I always try to keep as far away from the bus track when cycling past such places.
Unfortunately the cycle track has been designed with a minimum width of 2 metres. I suppose erection of some fencing at those pinch points might offer cyclists and walkers some protection against the suction effect of passing buses.
Work is now under way ( 9 March) to restore the bus track at the location of this accident. They have dug trenches on either side of the affected track and cleared out the ballast between the tracks. Some of the broken concrete cross-braces have been removed, and will presumably replaced.
ReplyDeleteAs I was cycling home tonight from Cambridge to st Ives a bus went through a red light just after the longstanton bus stop! As the bus was half way across the junction the lights went to amber. It could have been a nasty accident, clearly bus drivers are not learning from their colleagues mistakes!
ReplyDeleteI cycle on the southern section (station-Addenbrookes)- understandably a section not muuch covered on here.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, betwen the bus interchange at the station and the start of the guideway there's a section of road, shared between buses and bikes. This section is clearly signed as 15mph limit.
The buses charge through at 30mph+, crossing the centre line of the road as they come round the blind corners. Massive fun when you're dodging broken glass (bottles dropped from Hills road mainly). I've put in a complaint to Stagecoach (Whippet is rather harder) but never received any response.
Bottom line: the bus drivers on the Busway are even more reckless than on open roads- even on the non-guided sections where they interact with cyclists.
Thanks, for your comment. Al. Most of the recent activity on the blog has been about the cycle track near St Ives. I don't hear much about the Addenbrooke's end of the route, so if you notice anything, please get in touch. There is an email address you can contact me at if there isn't a suitable post to attach your comment to, e.g. if it is a completely new topic.
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