The Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership (GCP) have launched a public consultation on 3 potential routes for the busway that is being planned for the A428 corridor. Remember that there are plans for 2,350 houses in West Cambourne, and 3,500 in Bourn Airfield, not to mention further nearly 3000 in St Neots.
Residents can participate in the consultation online at http://www.greatercambridge.gov.uk/C2C. However, do read the information on their carefully and with a few grains (or bags) of salt.
Route Options
Route A (formerly Option 1) introduces an inbound bus lane from Madingley Mulch to the M11 junction.
Route B (formerly Option 6), introduces a tidal bus lane from Madingley Mulch to High Cross. This would change direction depending on peak times
Route C (formerly Option 3/3a) creates a dedicated off road busway across fields and greenbelt , new bridge across M11, into residential area south of West Cambridge development.
The journey times vary from 16 minutes (A) to 20 minutes (C) to Grange road, but the costs vary quite significantly from £12m (A) to £58.2m (C). The cost of route C does not include acquisition of the land necessary to build it, which could be £20m or more. None of these options includes the cost of joining up the selected route with the proposed Western Orbital.
Park and Ride Site Options
The consultation also includes 2 options for Park & Ride sites. These are Option 1- Scotland Farm and Option 2-The Waterworks (at junction of St Neots Rd and A1303 near Madingley Mulch roundabout). An effective P&R needs to be located before congestion points, and have good access in all directions, in this case west and east. In my view, Option 2 fails that test.
Consultation now closes on 29 January 2018.