Guided busway

[FFSReallyreally]

I have heard a lot about the guided busway. Is it so much better than a standard bus route? We are moving to the Cambridge area and where we end up will depend a lot on public transport as I don't drive. Do the buses actually run on time? Can you always get a seat? We also need a decent secondary near us which further complicates things. Thanks

No, the busway isn't great.

On weekdays in term time is mostly fills up at St Ives and swavesy with workers and school kids. If you're further along like Histon you usually have to stand, or if it's full it just drives past.

Parts of it have been closed on and off over the past few years so it then has to divert off track, causing delays.

I've spent many commutes sitting on it for over an hour on Milton rd due to road accident and traffic issues.

It's a bloody nightmare. But getting anywhere by car, bus or cycle around Cambridge is a nightmare however you travel, so you just have to try all forms of travel and see which is the least crap.

I wouldn't depend on it getting you anywhere on time. Unless you get it at 7am to avoid the hoards that start work/school between 8-9.

If you don't drive, do you cycle?

Thanks Chilli, that's good to know and confirmed my suspicions!

Yes, Blue, I do cycle, but would like to have another option as well, especially as we are thinking of this as more forever move. I used to work in Cambridge in my 20s and had a long cycle to work, 12+ hour shift, then long cycle home again. It nearly bloody killed me. I cycle more as a way of getting around rather than because I love cycling. We've lived elsewhere for a good while now and I feel like I'm trying to work out what's realistic now, and get a feel for things locally again.

The guided busway is a joy to cycle on, wide enough and a really good surface. Much less stressful than cycling on roads competing against all the students.

I'm Trumpington end so only use it between Trumpington and city centre. To be honest, I end up walking 50% of the time. It's useless. They need to rebuild it as a train track again.

The guided busway is marvellous - to cycle on! Less reliable as a bus.