- Video explains significant disruption to the network
- Extra resources being brought in at short-notice
- Plea for understanding for bus drivers
The Managing Director for Cambridgeshire’s biggest bus operator has made a heart-felt appeal to passengers to plan their journeys and show patience to bus drivers, after his operation was given just days to prepare for significant disruption to the Busway into Cambridge.
Darren Roe has spoken out, in a public video – at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xk-nVzDCLQ – about his frustration at the late notice of the changes: the decision was only confirmed to Stagecoach on Wednesday this week, giving the operator only four days to make preparations and to inform customers.
Usually, it is estimated that it would take at least three months to plan for such a major change, giving time for recruitment of extra drivers, engineers, and support staff, and sourcing extra buses.
Darren said: “Safety is our top priority, so we will be implementing the speed-limits, in full, from 5 October. There will be significant disruption across the whole of the network, as we anticipate additional journey times of up to 45 minutes. We will have extra staff out, on Monday, giving support to customers at key locations.
“Further disruption is expected from 12 October, as a section of the Busway, from Trumpington to the station, will be closed to two-way bus traffic. We will be putting out as much information as we can about the disruption and timetables on our website, so please use our website and the Stagecoach App to plan your journey and to track your bus.
“My team and I will continue to talk to Cambridgeshire County Council to see what we can do to help our passengers get where they want to go.”
Bus drivers will be working very hard to keep local people moving and informed, and Darren urged customers to show them patience, under these difficult circumstances.
Even at such short notice, Stagecoach is providing extra staff both on the network and to keep customers updated – members of the operator’s team are working extra hours and through the night to prepare buses, and Stagecoach is bringing in more people and extra buses to help maintain frequency, support the timetable, and to help customers.
— To plan your journey, buy before you board and track your bus, you can download the Stagecoach Bus App from https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/national/stagecoachbusapp.