Stagecoach East is making several service changes to its Cambridgeshire Busway network, with Alexander Dennis Enviro400XLB 100-seaters entering service on route B. Bus stops in Cambridge City Centre will also be amended to reflect changing Covid restrictions.
The changes will increase passenger capacity at peak times and add additional Sunday and evening services to the B and V5 routes. They come into effect from Sunday, July 25, when 10 of the tri-axle buses are due to enter service.
The Enviro400XLBs are from an £6m 18 vehicle order announced in March of 2020. Prior to the order from Stagecoach, the model had only been operated by Lothian Buses.
Route B will no longer serve Cambridge Railway Station, the Cambridge Biomedical Campus or Trumpington Park & Ride, in order to avoid low bridges. The A route remains to cover these locations. Route B will serve Drummer Street Bay 12 instead of Regent Street.
A new hourly Sunday evening service will be added to the B route to provide additional evening services between Hinchingbrooke and Cambridge. The last bus on Sunday will leave Cambridge at 22:40.
The A route will now operate both long and short journeys, with the long journeys following the current route from Hinchingbrooke to Trumpington park-&-ride and the new short journeys running from Cambridge to Trumpington park-&-ride via Cambridge Railway Station and the Biomedical Campus. Route A Monday-Saturday daytime buses will operate every 20 minutes, and every 10 minutes at peak times to accommodate commuters.
The V5 route, connecting Godmanchester and Hinchingbrooke, will also benefit from a later evening service. Route C will be temporarily suspended during the school summer holidays and resume in September.
Due to changes to Covid-19 restrictions, the current temporary bus stops on Emmanuel Road, which were introduced to aid social distancing, will be removed.
Darren Roe, Managing Director at Stagecoach East said: “The changes to our Busway services will be welcome news for many as we work to increase services and capacity. These changes will ensure we continue offering an efficient service to passengers, by introducing new, higher capacity vehicles on the popular B route, and offering more frequent services at peak times.
“I am proud that our staff continue to work hard to maintain strict hygiene and safety measures to ensure passenger and driver safety, and support the community as the country reopens.”
