The Cambridgeshire 'Busway'

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Saw a bit about the scheme on BBC News today. Though I rather like the idea, and I hope it turns out to be a success for the people of Cambridge.

It was also featured on the 1800 BBC News later in the day with the interviewer asking local Cambridge people what they thought of it.

It was interesting to note at the end of the piece that the Leigh Guided Busway system in Greater Manchester was mentioned as coming project. This system was featured in a quite lively thread on this forum some time ago.

 

[yorksrob]

So you think that these services would be routed onto the former line to Huntingdon if it was reopened? A town of 20,000, what kind of rail services do you expect it would have recieved? Else the bus goes to the station anyway.

No. But then you still wouldn't have to change to a bus to get to your destination would you.

BTW I'm sure buses already went to the station previously anyway.

 

[radamfi]

Now that looks far better then the the white elephant aka Guided Busway in use, surely it would have been far better to use Trams as you lose all benefits of the Guided Buses anyway in Cambridge city centre.

The picture looks like a tram but is actually an optical guided trolleybus! (Not sure if you knew that already - not easy to detect irony in text!)

Of course a tram or bus would get stuck in city traffic just the same. Priority is needed whether it is a bus or tram.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I didn't think it was optically guided, there's a slot in the road between where the tyres go, I thought that something was inserted into the slot to keep it under the OHL

 

[WatcherZero]

Its using Bombardiers guide rail system I believe, single rail vertical guide wheel

Theres also Translohrs system which uses two guide wheels

 

[radamfi]

Yes, not optical guided!

Not sure where I got that from.

 

[tbtc]

Hopefully the attitudes towards it will change now it is up and running (after the well documented problems between the Council and Contractors)...

...maybe we'll have the same positive conversation about the Edinburgh once its up and running*

(* - from the Airport to Edinburgh Park only, opening in 2023, every hour, after further cutbacks, of course)