Four proposals have been made, one of which includes two new Park & Ride sites and a bus-only slip road on the M11
A landmark new £50m ‘orbital’ bus route around the west of Cambridge has been unveiled, the Cambridge News has reported.
There are four proposed options for the route, aimed at smoothing journey times on buses into the city from the M11 onto Madingley Road and Trumpington.
A new report, which was presented to members of the City Deal assembly on Friday, November 13, outlines a series of schemes, one of which would see two new Park & Rides built at the Barton Road and Trumpington M11 exits. This option would also include facilities for ‘Park & Cycle’ at the new Park & Ride sites, improved cycleways along Barton Road and a bus-only slip road at Junction 11 for Trumpington.
There are already plans for a new Park & Ride site at the Madingley Mulch roundabout under the Cambourne to Cambridge better buses consultation, which is underway.
While the western orbital project has not been included in the first phase of City Deal projects, these proposals are likely to be allocated funding in the second five years of the programme, with the project currently earmarked for completion in 2022.
City Deal assembly member Cllr Francis Burkitt said: “We all agree that bus passengers need to be able to get between Junctions 11 and 13 more quickly, easily and reliably, but the report clearly suggests that the problem is the two motorway junctions and slip roads, not necessarily the length of the motorway in between.
“I would welcome the focus of the debate being on improving the two junctions, because I think all the residents that take these slip roads off the M11 know that’s where the improvements need to be made.”
Public consultation could start on the proposals in February.
The study into the route by consultants Atkins suggests that by 2031, trips into the new West Cambridge site off Madingley Road – where 15,000 people are set to work – will have increased by 88% compared to 2011 levels.
Trips into the science park and Addenbrooke’s Hospital are due to have increased by 26% and 23% over the same time period respectively.
