Unauthorised vehicles on Busway

Readers of this blog, and/or of other local media, will be acquainted with the seemingly persistent problem of unauthorised vehicles finding their way onto the Busway (and usually, as a result, falling foul of the car traps). The County Council reports that there have been 71 incidents between the opening of the Busway and September of this year. This blog long since gave up bothering to report such incidents - there's only so much repetition that the average reader can cope with.

The Cambridge News recently had a crack at trying to determine how some motorists manage to get things so wrong, although its investigation seems to have focused only on potential sat-nav problems (or GPS applications, perhaps) at one specific junction. And using only Google Maps as the data source.

This seems to have started with a report from a News reader who "told the News they were using Google Maps on their Android phone to get to Cambridge Regional College yesterday evening (October 31), when the software appeared to direct them onto the guided busway." The News reporters' investigation tentatively concluded that the cause might lie in the map being set to "night mode", where the Busway isn't so clear on the display and the driver might be confused.

At this point I would recommend that you read the News report:
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/very-wrong-turn-people-misreading-13842750

Perhaps sensing that the risk of adverse publicity for one of its products, Google was quick to undertake its own investigation. Google says that its maps are "routing correctly". Given how long the Busway has been operating, any other result would have been surprising! But Google didn't respond directly to the "night mode" issue, merely noting that they welcomed suggestions for improving their services.

And this is the point where I need to point you to the follow-up Cambridge News story which covers Google's response:
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/busway-cambridge-google-satnav-trap-13849028

The News also posted a poll at the end of the first story. Its follow-up reveals that only 10% of those responding claimed that their sat-nav had confused the Busway with a public road. Actually, I'm not sure I should have written "10%" - we don't know how many individuals this represents, but if only a small proportion of that 10% were to slavishly follow their sat-navs, then...

Cars on busway - poor signage?

It's been several months since we had a post relating to cars stuck on the Busway, caught in one of the vehicle traps. But there have been almost regular reports in the local media of such events. One of the issues that keeps coming up is whether or not there's something deficient in the signage, so that drivers don't realise they're entering the Busway.

The latest incursion was yesterday (August 21) at St Ives, just past Waitrose, heading towards the Park & Ride stop. The Cambridge News has provided its usual report of the incident - handily, though, it's included a photo taken by another motorist giving the driver's-eye view leading up to this location.

So follow this link to read the CN report and to view the photo (it's in the middle of the report - ignore the video that's been posted as it offers nothing of interest).

It looks to me as though there are two "no entry" signs - albeit at radically different heights - as well as a "guided bus only" road marking. Presumably further back there will be a "cul de sac" warning sign as well. What other signage to readers of this blog think would be required to have prevented this incident?

Arrests, prosecutions - FoI request

There's been a response to the third of the four recent Freedom of Information requests that I introduced in my 23 July posting.


This one was submitted by Martin Lucas-Smith, who's well-known in Cambridge cycling circles (although there's no reason to assume that this connection is relevant to his FoI request).

He asked Cambridgeshire Constabulary for:  

1) The total number of arrests made as a result of an unauthorised motor vehicle being driven on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway tracks. 

2) The total number of prosecutions for the same

3) A summary of what law/crime any such arrests/prosecutions were made under.

These all to cover the period since the Busway opened.

The responses: (1) 0; (2) 0; (3) n/a.

(I'm personally unclear whether the request, and/or the reponse, covers the possibility that fixed penalty notices might, or might not, have been issued. If anyone has a clearer understanding of the law in this regard, please post a comment!)

Here's a link to the full FoI request:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/number_of_prosecutions_for_unaut

 

Cars on busway

Regular readers may have noticed that the blog hasn't been consistently reporting incursions onto the Busway by cars and other vehicles (or by their drivers). As fast as one can type, there's another one - it's hard to keep up! And after the first couple, there's not much one can say...

One during last night's rush hour on the Orchard Park section of the "B" route (close to the Orchard Park West stop) brings the total to six since the beginning of December.

Handily, a story in the Cambridge News, published yesterday afternoon, summarises the consequences for drivers (who are, after all, breaking the law). In addition to any damage to their vehicle, the driver has to pay the County Council for removal of the vehicle. In addition, they receive three points on their licence.

The Cambridge News story was published before the latest incursion. There's a separate CN report on that incident.

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.

Car stuck on guided busway

A car  got stuck on the busway  at King's Hedges this morning causing delays to bus services, according to the Cambridge News.

The article also reveals statistics of other incidents of cars driving onto the busway - 20 in the last six months, of which 18 were at St Ives.

At a recent Cambridgeshire County Council meeting it was revealed that Stagecoach's insurance company had paid £91,263 to the Council following a bus crash at Longstanon in November 2012.

Access charges paid by Stagecoach and Whippet for use of the busway amounted to £597,734 last year, up from £349, 572 the previous year.