Busway in the snow - January 2013

The busway seems to have proved more resilient to the snow this winter, no doubt due to the Council having learned from the experience of last winter.

I went to Cambridge by bus on Sunday. My buses were on time, but there was still a lot of snow on the cycle track, and very few cyclists, walkers or joggers.

I travelled in and out of Cambridge yesterday (Tuesday) on the bus, and I got the impression that the buses were running as normal on the busway itself. My bus was, however, late leaving St Ives, so a delay had crept in from somewhere. A former colleague told me that her early morning commute had been fine on the busway, but delays started as soon as the bus reached the ordinary roads - which isn't very different from normal days when there is no snow.

The cycle track has been almost completely cleared of snow and is actually dry in most places. I spotted the Multihog machine on the cycle track, probably spraying the track with salt (not good for bikes).

Here are a couple of views taken this morning. Still some snow and debris lying on the concrete bridges near St Ives and Swavesey. Presumably the Multihog can't cope with the steep slopes and sharp gradient changes of these two structures. Nice day for a cycle run though - as long as you are well wrapped up.

Cars and other incidents on busway

From time to time the local newspapers report incidents on the busway, for example, when motorist drive onto the busway and get stuck.

In fact, there have been more than 56 incidents in the past 6 months, including 20 cars being driven onto the tracks. 18 of these were at the busway crossing of Harrison Way in St Ives. There have been fires, obstructions, signal failures and bus breakdowns.

For full details see Cambridge News website.
Also reported in Huntingdon & St Ives News & Crier (17 January, page 16)

Busway debt

This week's Huntingdon & St Ives News & Crier  ( 17 January, pages 1 and 10) carries an article about the  debt of £64.2m which Cambridgeshire County Council has incurred as a result of what the newspaper calls 'spiralling costs' of the busway. Over 5 years interest payment have totalled £6m so far. Meanwhile the Council has had to cut back on services such as bus subsidies, libraries and youth services. The Council hopes to recoup these losses next year when its court case  against the busway contractor, BAM Nuttall, is heard. The Council hopes to win the court case.

See also  Cambridge News website for details of this story.

Flooding - some more pictures

 Water was still lying on the cycle track near Swavesey yesterday ( 9 January) and this photo shows a cyclist carrying his bike along the grassy strip next to the bus track.

Another view of the same spot with an A bus approaching. You can see the tyre tracks climbing the grassy bank where cyclists have had to avoid the water.

At the concrete bridge, the water level has now gone right down and the cycle track is dry, but there are still mounds of debris. The passage of many feet and cycle tyres has created a narrow pathway, clear of debris, through over the bridge.

Diversion to busway service B

Due to essential repairs to a collapsed sewer in Jesus Lane, Cambridge, busway service B  is being diverted and will not serve the bus stops at Round Church Street and Jesus Lane. These stops will be out of use  from 7 January for 10 weeks. Passengers are advised to use either Castle Street or New Square bus stops instead.

Details of the diversion can be found here.

Other bus routes affected are Citi 1, 2, 5, and 6,  Red Park & Ride and Stagecoach X8 and some Whippet services.

Debris left by flooding

Here are a few photos I took this morning ( 4 January) to show the dire state of the cycle track between St Ives and Swavesey.

This is the approach to the small concrete bridge from the St Ives direction. Water is still lying on the cycleway, maybe 2-3 inches deep, so it is possible to cycle through, but you are then faced with the thick layer of debris covering the concrete bridge.

Looking back towards St Ives from the concrete bridge, showing both the debris and the flooded section.

A close-up of the debris on the concrete bridge -  about 5-6 inches deep in places.

A short distance east of the concrete bridge is the enormous tree trunk, mentioned by Kevin in a comment to this blog a few days ago, deposited by the flood water. On this photo you can see the tide mark indicating how deep the water was, and how much the level of the cycle track needs to be raised in order to ensure  it can be used all year round.

Near the Fen Drayton bus stop.

And finally, the still-flooded section between Fen Drayton and Swavesey. The tide mark is clearly visible showing that the water has already dropped by about a metre. I did not venture into the water to test the depth.

Priorities for busway cycle track

A few weeks ago it was announced that Cambridgeshire County Council was to spend £95,000 on installing solar powered lights on the busway.

A letter in this week's Huntingdon & St Ives News & Crier ( 3 January, page 6) calls on the County Council (and Councillor Ian Bates in particular) to make the St Ives end of the cycle track usable before 'the section nearest Cambridge was given gold-plated treatment'. The writer, from Godmanchester, is referring to the fact that the cycle track  between St Ives and Swavesey has been under water for the past 4 weeks.

The letter also refers to a comment by Nigel Brigham of Sustrans about wanting people to 'still feel able to ride their bikes for their everyday journeys' - which they can't do while the track is flooded.