Cambridge guided busway

[CockneySparrow]

The bit that irks me is having to pay twice; I like the PlusBus scheme because it means that the local connecting leg is heavily subsidised compared to the usually eye-watering bus fare for non-London services. I think that through ticketing to St Ives, Dunstable and anywhere else that ends up with a guided busway scheme would be hugely beneficial.

You can get through tickets to St Ives and with a network card discount well from Ely, haven't checked any other origins

They aren't available online but you can get them from over the counter and they are on BR Fares

 

[joeykins82]

http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=1072&dest=J382

So you can

makes note to actually test these sorts of suggestions in future

 

[CockneySparrow]

http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=1072&dest=J382

So you can

makes note to actually test these sorts of suggestions in future

None for Dunstable though

 

[joeykins82]

Just had a check, Dunstable is covered by the Luton & Leagrave PlusBus area.

 

[HSTEd]

Perhaps we could just run busways where major stops were assigned station codes, using one of the almost unused letters remaining in the alphabet (or sharing with London Underground as I doubt they have used up the 676 combinations available for them in the 'Z' code - it is Z right?) as the identifier.

That way we can get them into the rail system for ticketing purposes even if the railway has essentially been displaced by the bus route.

We could then insist on the same requirements for service as would be provided for national rail in terms of delay repay and similar.

 

[Deerfold]

We could then insist on the same requirements for service as would be provided for national rail in terms of delay repay and similar.

Seems fair - so long as the bus companies can claim from the road supplier if congestion causes them delays.

 

[HSTEd]

Seems fair - so long as the bus companies can claim from the road supplier if congestion causes them delays.

Obviously such a system would only work if the routes in question were almost entirely operated over a dedicated alignment like a bsuway, or over routes not known for congestion.

 

[Deerfold]

New CGB timetable is on Traveline with an extra 7 buses arriving in Cambridge during rush hour.

I don't know why it works, but it seems to.

Of note, however, is that some journey times have also been extended, making them again longer than in pre-Busway days even despite changes to more direct routes on the unguided sections.

What used to happened on this route when I've caught it is that on some days it met the timetable and on others it could be delayed by 30 or 40 minutes on the way to/from Huntingdon by accidents or congestion on the A14.

Now Central Cambridge seems to be getting busier and busier and buses are increasingly getting caught up in congestion in the centre, especially on the way to/from the station - this seems to be the main problem that needs some attention.

 

[quantinghome]

What used to happened on this route when I've caught it is that on some days it met the timetable and on others it could be delayed by 30 or 40 minutes on the way to/from Huntingdon by accidents or congestion on the A14.

Now Central Cambridge seems to be getting busier and busier and buses are increasingly getting caught up in congestion in the centre, especially on the way to/from the station - this seems to be the main problem that needs some attention.

I can well believe it given what it was like in the '90s. Presumably this is the rationale in building the science park railway station. I can imagine most north cambridge(shire) commuters using it for London and elsewhere

 

[CockneySparrow]

Perhaps we could just run busways where major stops were assigned station codes, using one of the almost unused letters remaining in the alphabet (or sharing with London Underground as I doubt they have used up the 676 combinations available for them in the 'Z' code - it is Z right?) as the identifier.

That way we can get them into the rail system for ticketing purposes even if the railway has essentially been displaced by the bus route.

We could then insist on the same requirements for service as would be provided for national rail in terms of delay repay and similar.

How about using the same 3 letter code the railway used before the railway stopped

Then again the powers that be dont seem to like that system anymore, noticed HUS isn't associated with Hunstanton anymore, well at least on TOC web system
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
One funny thing on these through bus tickets AGA have had leaflets printed for Saffron Walden but there are no fares available either on BR Fares or AGA website lol

 

[Oscar]

While there are ticket machines at all stops on the busway where relatively few passengers board or alight, there are no ticket machines at stops in central Cambridge or St. Ives which slows boarding considerably. When buses run very frequently minor delays of this kind quickly accumulate as an increased distance from the bus in front means that the bus has to stop for longer to pick up more passengers and gets further and further behind until it is running directly in front of the bus behind. Ticket machines on board the buses or smartcards could also help to solve this problem. Stagecoach in Cambridge seem good at on time departures from key stops, but in a lot of areas drivers need to focus more on punctuality. Real time information is a partial solution to the problem but does not deal with the issue of spacing when buses run turn-up-and-go frequencies. When services run less frequently, passengers plan tend to plan appointments around the timetable so reasonable punctuality (within 5-10 minutes) is also critical.

 

[dave55uk]

There actually used to be a bridge. Basically, Milton Road was narrower and the road used to dive under the railway. When Milton Road was expanded and the railway closed, the bridge was demolished and the road was built on a new bridge over where the road used to go. You can see it when you drive over it or when you cycle from the business park. The cycle lane goes pretty much where the road used to. (I'm just correcting you, I still agree that a reconstruction of the railway would have cost > £50m, given the cost of building a new bridge/road alignment there too).

The level crossing at Milton Road always existed. Yes, there was an underpass but to say the road dived under (the railway) is not correct. The underpass was narrow, low, and one-way only, that being North to South. Very few vehicles ever used it.

 

[glbotu]

The level crossing at Milton Road always existed. Yes, there was an underpass but to say the road dived under (the railway) is not correct. The underpass was narrow, low, and one-way only, that being North to South. Very few vehicles ever used it.

I stand corrected. Cheers.