Campaign survey reveals need for new bus routes to sixth forms and Addenbrooke’s

Transport campaigners are pleading with the Combined Authority to consider their proposals for new bus routes from eastern villages to reduce daily commutes down from more than four hours.

The A to B1102 campaign group represents those using the B1102 road from Quy through to Bottisham, Lode, Swaffham Bulbeck and Swaffham Prior, Burwell and Fordham, as well as Great and Little Wilbraham and Six Mile Bottom.

Sixth-formers from those villages travelling to Long Road and Hills Road colleges have long complained that their journeys can take more than two hours each way because there is no direct bus route.

Now a new survey by the campaigners has revealed that only 44 per cent of journeys from the villages are made to the city centre – with sixth-form colleges, Addenbrooke’s, science parks and train stations proving most to be the most-needed stops – and are asking for new bus routes to reflect demand for public transport to take significant numbers of cars off the road.

Emma Fletcher, from the A to B1102 group, said of the survey, which attracted around 900 responses: “We were absolutely delighted with the response, bearing in mind there’s been a lot of surveys and consultations for the general public to take on board.

“The survey reconfirmed that there were some very clear destinations where – definitely, for our teenage children – services were lacking. It came out loud and clear that actually getting into town by public transport for higher level education is something that’s desperately needed, together with getting access to other big areas of employment, notably the science parks and also Addenbrooke’s.

“Our research shows people are willing to make a move from the private car to the bus, but it needs to be fast and efficient, they need to feel safe where they are, when they’re waiting, that people are willing to interchange if it gets them ultimately to the right location, but at the same time, the bus needs to be as close to the best journey you could do by car in terms of speed efficiency.”

The plan suggested by campaigners enables the delivery of a Phase 1 of a fast bus concept running from Soham rail station through the B1102 villages to Drummer Street bus station and a new service from Newmarket via Burwell running to the south-east of Cambridge to Addenbrooke’s, Long Road Sixth Form College and the new Cambridge South railway station.

The group’s report said: “One of the most important transport issues for our communities is the access of further education, namely, Hills Road, Long Road, Cambridge Regional College and The Oakes. Our survey identifies that over 60 per cent of journeys for further education are taken by bus, even though journey times are currently often in excess of two hours in each direction for many of our students.”

The A to B1102 Group also wants to introduce a series of transport hubs and bus interchanges where commuters could change onto these fast services. They are exploring the development of additional Park & Ride interchanges at Burwell, Swaffham Prior and Lode. A funding model for these developments is yet to be explored, but, according to the campaigners, the concepts have been welcomed by the parish councils of all the villages concerned.

Campaigners also want to see the Newmarket Road Park & Ride site moved back to Quy so that commuters do not have to drive in heavy traffic towards the city centre in order to catch an onward bus.

The survey revealed that 44 per cent of trips taken from the villages were to the city centre but other important clusters include Hills Road (14 per cent) and Long Road (8 per cent); Addenbrooke’s and the Biomedical Campus (5 per cent); Cherry Hinton including Arm and other business locations (6 per cent), the Science Park, St John’s and Cambridge Regional College (4 per cent). Taken together, these clusters contain more destinations weighted by journey than journeys into the city centre, yet no buses currently serve these locations.

Possible new bus routes were discussed by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority at a transport and infrastructure committee meeting March 13 but no decision was made. If implemented, the new routes could be running by the end of the year.

The Combined Authority mayor Dr Nik Johnson said: “January’s Combined Authority board agreed additional much-needed investment in our bus network, and we are currently finalising the details of the new and enhanced routes that this funding enables. We have spoken with the A to B1102 group and the information they have provided has been very helpful in shaping potential options. We’re working through the final design phase and will update everyone as soon as possible.”