Updates to bus schedules on the Cambridgeshire Busway will be moved forward to 19 May to tackle overcrowding at peak times. The changes will see additional services to Addenbrookes and improved frequency on a key route from St Ives to Cambridge.

Following the re-opening of the southern section of Busway track between Trumpington and Cambridge Rail Station, Stagecoach East is to introduce a range of timetable changes to account for the growing passenger demand in this area.

The changes have been brought forward from June in response to crowding at Busway stops coming into Cambridge at peak times. Changes made in April were intended to improve efficiency, reduce the cost-of-service provision and allow customers to make the most of the Southern Busway. The operator says they have meant that some services were overcrowded. The alterations were based on the expectation that the number of customers using the bus to get to school and college would reduce from April, which the operator notes is usually the case, as well as improvements in efficiency with long diversions no longer in place. This meant that more customers than expected wanted to use services, meaning that some customers could not get their usual bus.

“I hope that these latest service updates will improve still further the capacity, ease and reliability of our services” – Darren Roe, Managing Director of Stagecoach East

Darren Roe, Managing Director of Stagecoach East, said: “We have a responsibility to continually improve services for our customers and to reduce the cost of service. We made the initial changes in the expectation of doing just that, but the fact is that they did not work. We deeply regret that we have not given some of our customers the service they have a right to expect, so we have worked around the clock for the Traffic Commissioner to accept these early changes, so everyone will be able to get where they want to go.

“It is always vital that we monitor our services and make updates so that we are providing services where and when people actually want to travel. I hope that these latest service updates will improve still further the capacity, ease and reliability of our services. Buses offer outstanding value: for example, in Cambridge a group of five customers can travel all day for just £2.40 each. By contrast, five hours parking at the Grand Arcade car park in peak hours on Saturday and Sunday costs £26.40.”

The 19 May changes include:

• Two new services will be introduced along the southern section of the Busway to work with the A service and provide a combined ten-minute peak frequency between Trumpington Park & Ride, Railway Station and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, from Monday to Friday.
• The new H service will operate between Trumpington Park & Ride and Addenbrooke’s Hospital during morning peak times.
• The new R service will operate between Trumpington Park & Ride, Addenbrooke Hospital and Cambridge Rail Station.
• Additional resource will be added during the morning peak to provide greater capacity between St Ives and Cambridge. This means that routes A and B will provide a combined 10-minute frequency along the main section of the guided Busway track from St Ives into Cambridge.
• Route B will extend to serve Long Road Sixth Form College Monday-Friday at selected times. These journeys will replace the current C service.