Cambridgeshire: Busway Could Be Extended

7 August 2012, 06:00

Heart's found out the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway track could be made longer in future.

The busway between Cambridge and St Ives opened exactly a year ago on the 7th August 2011.

According to Cambridgeshire County Council, around 2.5 million journeys have been made on the busway.

That's far higher than the Council's original predictions of 1.75 million journeys in the busway's first year of operation.

According to Cambridgeshire County Councillor Ian Bates, the track could in future be made longer to extend to Alconbury.

Thousands of new homes and businesses are planned for Alconbury, which is near Huntingdon, as part of a so-called 'Enterprise Zone'.

'Enterprise Zones' are areas across the country earmarked by the government where new jobs and homes can be created.

Councillor Bates, Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, said: "The Alconbury Enterprise Zone is the obvious place to extend the busway to, but there may be other opportunities over the next ten to fifteen years.

We've been very successful in getting the Alconbury Zone, which obviously will develop over the coming years, so this is about growth and about introducing that infrastructure for all of us to use."

Reflecting on the busway's success in its first year, Councillor Bates added: "It has been a magnificent and hugely successful year.

Loads and loads of people are using it and enjoying the ride through what is extensively rather nice countryside.

Services have been extended over this year, like more services on Sundays for people to go into and out of Cambridge, and also to explore St Ives.

Also the more people on the busway, the fewer people there are in cars on the A14.

It's also been a real benefit to cyclists, because running alongside the busway is the cycle-way, so people can cycle between villages and all the way into Cambridge."