New fleet of buses for Cambridge park and rides

Three main changes are set to improve the city park and rides for commuters, shoppers and visitors.

A new fleet of colour-coded (and more comfortable) buses will arrive in December, with wi-fi and USB sockets and better emissions standards to improve air quality.

Buses will also start to operate on loops serving a single park and ride site, hence the colour coding, which aims to prevent congestion on one side of the city, affecting transport on the other. Each park and ride route will have a single central stop for both incoming and return journeys.

Andy Campbell, managing director of Stagecoach East, said: “Meeting the transport needs of shoppers, commuters, tourists and leisure passengers, while operating in a historic city centre with congestion issues, is certainly challenging. However, we’re committed to investing in our services as we aim to deliver the highest standards of public transport in our city – both now and in the future.”

Bus stop changes will mean Babraham Road will now stop in Emmanuel Street, Milton buses will stop on Drummer Street and at The Grafton, Newmarket Road buses will stop on Drummer Street and The Grafton, Madingley Road buses will stop on Jesus Lane and on St Andrew’s Street, while Trumpington services will not change.

Daniel Zeichner, Cambridge MP, said: “I welcome the plans to improve park and ride, but this does not get to the heart of the problem.”

He wants to see the park and ride charging system revised.