New Signs on the Flood Gates

Since the floods have drained off the cycle track, and the gates at Swavesey, Fen Drayton and St Ives have been opened, new signs have been attached to each of the gates.

Whippet fares to rise

I saw a notice on a Whippet route C bus this morning advising that fares are going up as from Monday 7 April. As yet no detailed information appears on Whippet's website.

Busway 'cover-up'?

Councillor Mike Mason has submitted a motion to Cambridgeshire County Council's next meeting calling for a full investigation of the guided busway, including its £36 million overspend.

The Council Cabinet is due to discuss busway defects on 15 April - in private.

Read full article here.

Stagecoach bus fares rising as from Sunday 30 March 2014

Bus fares for Stagecoach services in Cambridgeshire are going up as from Sunday 30 March. This affects bus routes A and B on the busway. Details here.

The following is taken from the busway.info website:

From the 30th March 2014 some of our fares will be changing. Details of some of our most popular tickets are shown below.

Day tickets

Cambridge & Peterborough will increase to £4

Cambridgeshire dayrider plus will increase to £6.20

Weekly/4 weekly/monthly (xtra) tickets

Cambridge & Peterborough 1 week Megarider will remain at £13 on smart, increase to £13.50 on paper

Cambridgeshire 1 week Megarider Plus will remain at £23.50 on smart, increase to £24 on paper

East 1 week Megarider Gold will remain at £33 on smart, increase to £33.50 on paper

Cambridge & Peterborough 4 week Megarider will remain at £50 on smart, increase to £52 on paper

Cambridgeshire Megarider Plus 4 week will remain at £90 on smart, increase to £94 on paper

East Megarider Gold will increase to £115 on both smart and paper

Cambridge & Peterborough MegariderXtra increase to £45.50 per month

Cambridgeshire Megarider Plus Xtra increase to £85 per month

East Megarider GoldXtra will increase to £106 per month

1 week Megarider/Megarider Plus tickets are now available online. Please visitwww.stagecoachsmart.com to purchase your ticket today.

Easter bus services on busway routes A and B

Stagecoach have announced their amended timetables for the Easter holiday weekend.
See Stagecoach website here.

This table relating to the A and B route reached me by email :

Routes A and B on the Busway will operate the following service:

Thursday 17 April - normal service

Friday 18 April - Sunday service

Saturday 19 April - normal saturday service

Sunday 20 April - normal Sunday service

Monday 21 April - Sunday service

Tuesday 22 April - normal service resumes

County Council to discuss "disquiet and concern"

The County Council's central Council - that's to say, the general forum of all 69 elected members - is due, at its meeting on Tuesday 25 March, to discuss a motion relating to the Guided Busway. This motion, submitted by Councillor Mike Mason (Independent, Cottenham, Histon & Impington)

"notes that Cambridgeshire residents and members continue to express disquiet and concern over the failure of the Council to properly scrutinise and publicise the financial, contractual and operational legacy associated with the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway.  Furthermore it is noted that much of the business in connection with the contract and subsequent legal action has not been conducted in open meetings and that this is not in the public interest or in accordance with Council’s aims and policies. Council therefore hereby resolves to set up a cross party Scrutiny Panel with wide and comprehensive terms of reference, to fully examine, in public, all aspects of this major infrastructure scheme and to report back to Council with recommendations following an agreed timetable."

 Full details of the meeting - and, in due course, the minutes - appear on the County Council website.

Meanwhile, the Cambridge News reports that Coun. Mason is also concerned about the condition of the track - linking this concern to the results of a Cambridge News investigation. The News story can be found here.

Cambridge Half Marathon - 9 March 2014

Buses on route B will be diverted for most of the day (until 4pm)  on Sunday 9th March. This is due to road closures to allow the Cambridge Half Marathon to take place.

Bus stops at New square, Jesus Lane, Round Church Street and Castle Street will be out of use, and passengers for the city centre are recommended to use Drummer Street Bus Station instead.

Full details here.

Whippet buses will also be diverted, but their website doesn't give precise details.

Information about the Half Marathon can be found here.

Yet more incursions

There are times when one feels a separate blog is required simply to note the constant flow of illegal incursions, but according to the Cambridge News there has been a noticeable spike of such incidents in the past week or so, as a result of car drivers "being confused by road closures at Addenbrooke’s". Apparently the Busway, notwithstanding the signs, looks like a road you might want to drive down. Let's hope these same drivers are paying slightly more attention when you, or I, or our children, are crossing the road one day.

For those who can bear it, here's the full Cambridge News story.

Erosion of the Busway Embankment

Following the recent floods, there is erosion of the busway embankment along many of the stretches which flooded between Swavesey and St. Ives. Along the high water level, the waves created by the winds have removed soil from the banks, and in places created quite large holes.

This is not visible from a bus, but from the cycle track, the damage can be seen.

2 example photos below:

Photo: Margaret Parish

Photo: Margaret Parish