The Better Way
Upgrade the A1307 and explore better rail provision
We have proposed a better alternative that addresses the congestion hotspots on the A1307 with in-highway bus lanes a new dedicated spur into the Biomedical Campus.
We believe this solution will quickly deliver 80+% of the benefits of the GCP busway for ~20% of the costs. By contrast, the GCP busway faces large risks from construction cost inflation and using unproven optical guidance technology.
The short bus-only spur we propose from Hinton Way roundabout would bypass the main congestion spot that delays buses to the Biomedical Campus. It would better serve the southern expansion of the Campus, as set out in the current Local Plan and proposed for the next one. It would also give ambulances a direct, uncongested route to Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth hospitals from the south-east.
Our proposal uses the existing highway so the impact on the countryside and greenbelt will be minimal and far less than the GCP’s route.
Mid term plans – a Rail link between Cambridge and Haverhill
Better bus provision is unlikely to solve all the transport needs South of the City in the long term. Reinstating the Cambridge to Haverhill railway line provides a better long term solution.
But if GCP's busway is built it will make reinstating the railway impossible as it uses some of the same route, the two routes would be in competition so it would not be possible to justify public spending on the railway when so much public money had been spent on the busway. Haverhill is a large town of 28,000 with no railway services. Many residents work at Addenbrookes/CBC, so providing a fast, direct service into Cambridge South station will remove traffic from the A1307. Rebuilding the Haverhill to Cambridge railway is a long term solution that provides a direct connection via Linton, Granta Park, Sawston and Stapleford to Addenbrookes, providing access from the south east of Cambridge into the City for residents and employers in South Cambridgeshire.
