Another long-term Busway B diversion - yes, seriously!

Busway B passengers have had to put up with more than their fair share of diversions, stop changes and the like over the past year or more. Well, guess what - there's another long-term diversion due to come into operation on Monday 29 June.

This one is in connection with Phases B & D of the Greater Cambridge Partnership's Histon Road project, which covers the whole road between Kings Hedges Road and Victoria Road.

So... from Monday 29 June, Histon Road will be completely closed inbound. The B service will effectively follow the A route between Histon and Cambridge New Square, omitting Orchard Park,Shire Hall and Round Church St (currently closed anyway, but due to reopen in early July). Passengers who would normally alight at Shire Hall will find themselves with a significant problem, as there's no diversionary route available - you simply have to carry on into the City Centre and then catch an outbound service.

How long will this diversion last? Well, the GCP's announcement was noticeably vague on this - saying nothing more specific than that the closure would last "for the duration of the construction". Stagecoach say it will be for "several months". The GCP's project page, though, is more helpful - Phase B will last until spring 2021, and Phase D until summer 2021.

For more information go to:

• Stagecoach announcement and revised route map
• GCP's Histon Road Construction web page

Orchard Park closure, 28-29 April - NOW CANCELLED

Ignore this post - the planned works are, well, no longer planned! CANCELLED, indeed.

It's hard to keep up!


The Busway B service is affected by roadworks in Orchard Park on 28 and 29 April. Buses will not serve Orchard Park on these dates. Would-be passengers can use the Cambridge Road stops instead (the regular "diversion" stops) - or, at the other end of Orchard Park catch a D from their nearest stop.

A reminder that, for the time being, route B is extended to the Biomedical Campus and Trumpington Park & Ride.

And, for those who live near to Histon Road, a further reminder that the B is currently serving all stops along Histon Road. Stick your hand out, or press the bell, as appropriate. You don't have to wait for a Citi 8.

The complete temporary Busway timetable can be found here.

Busway reopens 30 March - but with temporary timetables

At last! The "temporary" diversion, avoiding the Busway A14 overbridge, is finally going to be lifted, and services will revert to their original routes on Monday 30 March. This will be particularly important for Orchard Park passengers, who have been using the "wrong" stops for 9 months.

However, as previously mentioned, the introduction of Stagecoach's improved Busway timetables has been postponed for a second time. Instead - and for reasons that don't need spelling out here - a reduced service will be introduced on that date. What Stagecoach term an "enhanced Sunday service" will operate Monday-Saturday. It's not quite as bad as that makes it sound - there are certainly additional peak-hour services, and the evening journeys have been retained as well. Service R will be suspended. Sunday services continue unchanged.

Full details, including links to the temporary timetables, are available on the Stagecoach website.

Busway diversion extended YET AGAIN!

Some of those who read this blog may be old enough to remember the time before the Busway was closed between Histon and Orchard Park whilst Highways England worked on the A14 overbridge. Others will simply be too new/young to remember that time.

Well, guess what? The closure (and resulting diversion) is set to continue. According to Highways England: "The new anticipated re-opening date is early March." Keep that date in mind, and we can all return to it in, say, 3 weeks time.

Whilst it's Highways England that is responsible for the never-ending closure - and for preventing Stagecoach introducing new timetables (originally planned for 1 March, but presumably delayed until the diversion is removed) - the County Council hardly covers itself in glory either. At the time of writing, the Council's dedicated Busway website still maintains the fiction that the Busway will reopen in "mid-January". Don't passengers deserve better information than that (the relevant page doesn't seem to have been updated since late-October)? What's happening to money that large-scale developers (e.g. of the Eddington site) are required to pay the County Council for Busway operation/promotion/management?

Full details of the further delay, and Highways England's sort-of-apology ("high-level discussions are taking place on a daily basis"...), can be found in a Cambridge Independent news item.

New closure of cycle track

The busway cycle track between Histon and Orchard Park will close for a month while repairs are carried out. This is the section of busway affected by the A14 widening works, and has been closed to buses for half a year, with buses diverted meanwhile.
https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/cyclepath-guided-busway-a14-closure-17508409

Busway diversions sometimes benefit

I'm pleased to offer a guest post, from Barry, a resident of Orchard Park. He notes that the current (rather long-term) diversion of Busway services does bring benefits to some people, offering.journeys that the "normal" timetable simply doesn't, at present provide.

Barry writes:

The Guided Busway between Histon and the junction close to Orchard Park West is now to remain closed until January.  Stagecoach apologise for the disruption, and indeed it is bad news for most passengers on the traditional A & D routes, who have longer journey times as the buses divert through Orchard Park.

It’s also bad news for people wanting to go to most of Orchard Park in the evening; no buses go through the estate after 9pm and the stop on Histon Rd that the evening B services call at is a long walk from Orchard Park East.  It's also unfortunate for anyone in Orchard Park wanting a direct bus all the way to Huntingdon or Peterborough.

Overall however, Orchard Park wins handsomely from this, and when things go back to normal the service we’ve enjoyed since the summer will be sorely missed.  Not only has our rush hour service more than doubled from 4 buses an hour to 10 (even before you consider that the diverted B’s still aren’t that far from the Orchard Park West stop), but we now benefit from direct services to the Science Park, Cambridge North Station, Cambridge Station, Addenbrooke’s, Trumpington & beyond.  I’ve used the bus more in the last 5 months than in the previous 5 years since I moved here, as the convenience of the bus now beats cycling to the stations!

Users of the B also benefit from a more direct journey into Cambridge (though they are a bit more at risk of congestion above J32 of the A14).

With the changes having become at least a medium term thing it’s a shame that the last three evening Bs weren’t rerouted via the Science Park so that they could have served Orchard Park too; I feel that more people would have benefited from it serving all the other stops north of the city centre instead of Jesus Lane and Shire Hall (and they might have found out that in fact more people than they think work late at the Science Park!!!).  It might not have seemed worth arranging for the initial two weeks, but for six months (or maybe more???) it could have been.

Perhaps when services return to normal will also be a good time to look at the location of the Orchard Park East stop, which is located only a few yards round the corner from where it could have been served by more than twice as many buses.

Thanks to Barry for sharing his thoughts.

What do you think?

Busway diversion extended - softly, softly

Those with good memories will recall that, at the last count, the Busway between Histon and Orchard Park was due to reopen next Monday, 4 November.

Well, guess what? That's not going to happen! I bet that took readers by surprise. Or not.

Yesterday, the County Council quietly updated their online "News" item on the closure to announce that the track will now reopen in "mid-January". Will it? Only time will tell...

Yet another weekend, Yet another diversion

This weekend, a different diversion for the A, D and Citi 8 bus services due to the work on Histon A14 roundabout.

Details are here https://www.stagecoachbus.com/service-updates/serviceupdatesarticle?SituationId=ID-19/09/2019-16:20:27:614

However, I would say that the details for the replacement services are, as usual with Stagecoach, vague.

Take this shuttle ‘along the A route between Cambridge City Centre and Orchard Park’. What times does it run and why isn’t it arranged to allow passengers travelling to St Ives to change at Cambridge North. Surely that would make more sense. Specific times for the ‘shuttle’ are needed.

Last night I travelled out of Cambridge on the 22.25 departure for St Ives. After picking up and dropping passengers at the Histon Road stop near Orchard Park, we then diverted through Orchard Park West, Orchard Park East, CRC and Science Park (non-stop, of course), then out along the A10 to the Milton Recycling facility, and in through Impington( a narrow twisty. road), to rejoin the normal route at Histon. This added an extra 15 minutes to the journey time.

Do Stagecoach create a revised timetable to account for these scheduled delays, or do they simply allow the bus service to become chaotic?

In my observations, they generally allow the buses to become chaotic.

I also take issue with Stagecoach over the lack of public information at bus stops about the diversions, particularly the effect this has on travel to/from the Orchard Park stops because of the contra flow route swap between the A/d and B services.

Train companies are penalised for this delays like this. Why not buses?

Additional Busway closure August 10-11

Not content with the summer-long closure of the Busway between Histon and Orchard Park, this coming weekend (August 10-11) sees the closure extended to the Science Park. This means that Stagecoach A and D services won't be able to serve the Orchard Park, CRC and Science Park stops. No alternative is being provided for Orchsrd Park passengers (other than the existing "diversion" stops that service B uses on Histon Road). Alternatives for the other stops are on Kings Hedges Road (near the CRC) and at the Golden Hind (for the Science Park).

Here's the Stagecoach announcement relating to this latest closure.

Busway closure/diversion period extended

My post of 17 June has been overtaken by events. Firstly, the County Council website did eventually get round to advertising the closure and associated diversion (but not until the day they started - so NO ADVANCE WARNING!). More importantly, what was previously two separate closure periods has now been transformed into one extended closure. But just when the closure ends is a matter of some confusion. According to the County Council the closure now carries on, uninterrupted, until 29 August. According to Stagecoach, the closure continues until the commencement of services on 1 September. According to the Cambridgeshire Live website, the closure is due to continue until 4 September. My interpretation of these varying dates is that the Highways Agency cannot be certain when the bridge works that are responsible for this closure will actually finish. All we know for certain is that they will continue for the next few weeks! Be prepared...

Forthcoming Busway closure/diversion - extended periods

The Busway will be completely closed between Histon and the Orchard Park "junction" (where the A/D and B/P usually diverge heading into the city) between the following dates:

22 June - 7 July inclusive
25 July - 3 September inclusive

Here's a link to the Stagecoach announcement which gives details of the necessary diversions and alternative stops. I presume the Whippet P will take the same diversion as the Stagecoach B.

There's nothing about this major closure on the County Council's Busway site.

Busway diversion Saturday 1 December

Stop closures and a diversion are in place on Saturday 1 December, until 14.00 (or possibly 14.30 - the County Council and Stagecoach seem to disagree about just when a normal service will resume).

Not for the first time, there's been little advance notice - the news item on the County Council website was posted just yesterday. And Stagecoach's announcement only appeared at lunchtime today.

Both the Busway and the maintenance track (bridleway) will be between Orchard Park and Histon. The Cambridge-bound stop at Histon will be closed.

For route B, this means that Cambridge-bound buses will use the Citi 8 stops at Histon Station (outside the paper shop) and near the Kings Hedges Road junction, omitting the Histon and both Orchard Park Busway stops. The outbound services will also use the Kings Hedges Road Citi 8 stop, but will be able to call at Histon Busway after rejoining the Busway at Histon Station.

Route A buses will divert through Orchard Park, using the normal Busway stops, but the wrong way round - so the stops on the south side of the Busway will be used by buses heading towards St Ives, whilst the north side stops will be for city-bound buses. This has the potential to catch one or two people out! The city-bound A will use the Citi 8 stop at Histon Station.

Guide wheel damage - FoI request

And yet another Freedom of Information request...

Sam Webster pickied up on the response to a previous FoI request. The latter had said, inter alia, that the "... considerable damage to the upstand further along the beam ... is consistent with damage caused to the guideway elsewhere on previous occasions where a guide wheel has sheared off". Sam wanted "counts, dates, locations and further descriptions of the 'previous occasions'".

The County Council, in its response, has provided information on two previous incidents. One, in November 2012, took place at the road crossing just north of Longstanton Parn & Ride site; the other was at Orchard Park in April 2013. In both cases the bus was incorrectly positioned in relation to the entry flare, resulting in the bus rolling and the guide wheel (or its arms) fouling the concrete upstands.

The first incident resulted in the driver's dismissal; the second in disciplinary proceeedings against the driver.

For the full FoI exchange, including more details on both incidents, follow this link:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/busway_guide_wheel_damage

Bus route changes on Sunday 7th May

I've received this message about changes to the busway service B during part of Sunday 7th May:

Disruption to Busway on Sunday 7th May 2017

Dear Busway user

Due to an event taking place in Cambridge on Sunday 7th May, the Busway B will need to use a different route between Histon and Cambridge between approximately 1130 and 1320

During this time we will use the "A" route, which means we will not be able to serve any of the Orchard Park Stops, Jesus Lane and Shire Hall.

Customers in Orchard Park should use the Busway stops at CRC during the closure. Customers can also use the Citi 1 from Kings Hedges Road to/from Central Cambridge or the Citi 8 from Histon Road to/from Central Cambridge/Histon

Normal service is expected before 1130 and after 1320

Please note that other Stagecoach services within Cambridge will also be affected. Please click HERE for details

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause due to the factors outside our control

Best wishes

The Busway Team

Cutting verges and shredding litter

For several weeks the verges of the guided busway have been looking fantastic, with a fine show of wild flowers. But it seems the Cambridgeshire County Council is now starting to trim the verges.

This blog has been contacted by Paul Verbinnen who writes about 'the wide scale destruction of the wildflowers alongside the Busway between Orchard Park and Oakington.

He says:

I understand that the Busway requires maintenance and wholeheartedly wish for more regular and meaningful maintenance, especially where the solar lights are obscured and the surface is breaking up. But it seems to me that over the last two days, 21st & 22nd July, unnecessary and excessive cutting has taken place. Whole stands of beautiful wild flowers have been destroyed and debris littered across the maintenance track. At the same time, the litter was not collected and now lies shredded and dispersed with probably ten times as much to pick up now. All in all, it looks dreadful and I’m really annoyed that some insects may have been destroyed too.

It appears that commonsense cutting of the immediate margin bordering the path has been ruled out and the maximum width selected for flailing. At the same time, the private contractors haven’t touched  the trailing brambles or protruding bushes and so the path remains narrowed. It would appear to be gross incompetence on the part of the County Council for doing unnecessary work and omitting the essential trimming. With shards of glass and metal cans now littering the banks it is only a question of time before that makes its way onto the path.

Here are two photos of the shredded litter.

Maintenance work and bus diversions in the Histon/Orchard Park area

On Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th January, buses will be diverted near Histon, because of maintenance work on the busway track.

Bus route B will be unable to serve the Cambridge-bound stop at Histon and both the Orchard Park stops. Instead they will us the stop outside the shops near Histon 'station' and teh stop in Histon Road near the junction with Kings Hedges Road.

Route A will be diverted via Orchard Park.

Full details for Stagecoach routes can be found here.

Details for Whippet route C are here.

Diversions in the Orchard Park area this weekend

This notice has been issued about route temporary route changes in the Orchard Park area.

Orchard Park Stop Closures

On both Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April 2015 the Busway B service will be unable to call at either Orchard Park stop for journeys TOWARDS St Ives.

Customers travelling from Orchard Park West or East towards St Ives can board the B service on Histon Road, just to the south of Kings Hedges Road as the bus will run via Histon Road to Histon and Impington where the normal route will resume.

Customers travelling from Central Cambridge to Orchard Park inclusive should use the B service as normal and alight the bus at the stop on Histon Road, just before the junction with Kings Hedges Road.

B services TOWARDS Central Cambridge are unaffected as are all other Busway services and stops.

Full details here.

Engineering works affecting busway track between Histon and Orchard Park - 11 and 12 April

The section of busway between Histon and the Orchard Park junction will be closed during Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th April. This is to allow engineering works to the track.

Full details of the changes are given here.

Graffiti on busway

'Undercover' police have been patrolling the guided busway in the hope of catching the graffiti artist(s) who have been at work in the Histon/Orchard Park area. One person has been arrested and admitted to three counts of criminal damage.

Full report at Cambridge News.

Lights on busway cycle track

Thanks to George Alexander for alerting me to a news item on the Cambridgeshire County Council website here.

It's a proposal to spend £95,000 on providing solar powered lights for the busway cycle track - between Orchard Park and St Ives. Very handy, I'm sure. But how will the lights cope with being under water for 4 weeks a year?

The money is coming from  the Cambridgeshire Sustainable Transport Fund, which  is about 'Getting Cambridgeshire to Work'. The government has awarded £5m to be spent over the next 3 years.

If they are trying to get people to work, then, in  my opinion, it would be better spending the money on raising the level of the track so that it doesn't get flooded every time the River Ouse bursts its banks.

Very brief piece about this in the is weeks Hunts Post (5 December, page 5) where it is hailed as 'fantastic news' by Councillor Ian Bates.

More information on Cambridge News website here.