Public told not to attend organised walk on guided busway at Histon amid safety concerns as buses are diverted

Cambridgeshire County Council is urging people not to join an organised walk on the guided busway at Histon tomorrow (Saturday, 27 September).

The council said the walk, understood to be planned near Orchard/Manor Park meadow, poses serious safety risks.

“People should not be encouraged to walk over the busway using unauthorised crossing points. This is dangerous and illegal, as it is trespassing on private property,” a spokesperson warned.

Because of the advertised event, buses will be diverted off the busway at Gatehouse Road, Histon, rejoining at the Station Road/Cambridge Road junction.

The diversion will run all day on Saturday and Sunday. Temporary stops will be in place for northbound services outside the Station House Café on Station Road, and for southbound services at the usual Histon busway stop.

Last month, the council introduced a lower speed limit on the busway at Histon to help reduce risks posed by pedestrians crossing. Ahead of new fencing being installed along the entire route, the council will also be closing several unofficial crossing points that are currently in use.

The spokesperson said: “This was explained to residents at a public meeting on Tuesday. We understand people’s frustrations about the fencing, but people must not trespass on the busway, and they must keep to the formal crossing points for their own safety.

“We are committed to engaging with the community on safe crossing points and will continue to hold public meetings to discuss this.”

The council is taking action after being fined £6million by the Health and Safety Executive for safety failures along the busway, following the deaths of three people.

Work will begin in early October to install the fencing which will run between the busway and the maintenance track, the path which runs alongside it.

A council spokesperson said: “Following risk assessments to improve safety along the busway, a permanent fence was installed on the southern section of the busway in April 2024 between Cambridge Railway Station and Long Road bridge.

“After approval at the highways and transport committee in June, a programme is now being implemented to install fencing and barriers across the whole guided busway.

“The first phase of the new fencing will be on the remaining southern section between Trumpington and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.”

The authority says it will aim to keep the busway and maintenance track open wherever possible, with the work taking place in sections.

Design works for the northern section of fencing and options to help with the flooding are currently in progress.

This section requires detailed ecological and design considerations as well as public engagement and discussions with key stakeholders before these works start.