Cambridge Guided Busway - ongoing discussion and updates

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

For interest the number of vehicles using the M6 Toll is falling significantly. I'm not surprised at ^4.70 each way (from this weekend). 

Good, so hopefully plans will be drawn up for tolls to be scrapped. Let toll roads remain in Europe where they belong!

What continent is the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) part of then?

[Btline]

Ok, "Let toll roads remain on the continent where they belong."

[paul7575]

Bats could halt bus expressway

Construction of a ^20m high-speed bus service in Hampshire could be halted if a High Court action is successful.
The court was told a small colony of bats living in a house close to the site crosses the railway line to reach a feeding area in a nearby wood.

Ms Morge, who lives alongside the railway line, also said she would suffer considerable disruption if the project went ahead.

The council has defended its actions. The case continues.

Case was thrown out:

'Miss Morge, 57, of Wych Lane, Gosport, said: 'I'm disappointed that the decision didn't go my way, but it has not deterred me... 'After all the work we did, we aren't just going to give up ^ we've got to fight. 'My barrister is going to the Court of Appeal and I'm just not going to let this beat me. 'The wildlife is being disturbed by this and I don't want a bus route that is going nowhere right by the side of my house and others." 
...the judge 'indicated that there was no prospect of success at appeal'.

Possibly not really a bat freak after all then. 

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/fareham-and-meon/I39ll-keep-fighting-against-bus.5836675.jp

Paul

[eightf48544]

Back to Cambridge what's happening ?

It seems to have gone very very quite.

Maybe Hampshire Councilors should go and see what a roaring success it is!

[welshman]

Allegedly soon - see here

[paul7575]

Back to Cambridge what's happening ?

It seems to have gone very very quite.

Maybe Hampshire Councilors should go and see what a roaring success it is!

There's a key difference. The Hants scheme is just a dedicated normal single carriageway road for buses, bypassing the A32 bottleneck. It isn't a guided busway like Cambridge.

Paul

[MarkRanger]

Just to update you all, the opening of the so called Busway, known to all but its most fervent admirers (better known as the county council) as the Misguided Busway has been put back to the New Year, although the reasons for this delay are bizarre. It has been very difficult to get to the truth throughout this scheme, the delays have been put down to inadequate driver training time, unfinished build elements and contractual rows between the council and BAM Nuttalls. I suspect the truth is a mixture of all three.

The current build cost is an estimated ^150 million....

We are trying to keep our web site more or less up to speed - www.castiron.org.uk

Cheers

Mark Ranger

[eightf48544]

Mark thanks for the update.

We await the opening with eager anticipation.

Keep us posted.

[Cornish Traveller]

one word describes the whole project : disaster

[caliwag]

Amateurs

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm. I do accept that we keep mingling the different schemes in Cambridge and Hampshire here in this topic - but, on the other hand, it does provide an interesting comparison for their respective problems with public acceptance.

For example: the latest stalling of the Hampshire scheme is as follows, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Bus scheme halted for appeal bid

Work on a rapid bus route in Hampshire has been halted after campaigners won the right to appeal against the scheme.

Last month residents lost a judicial review over technical aspects of the Bus Rapid Transit route, between Gosport and Fareham.

A new injunction has now been granted against Hampshire County Council while an appeal against the merits of the project is considered.

The project must be finished by spring 2011 to qualify for government funding.

Buses will run on the route of a disused railway line.

Hampshire's transport councillor Mel Kendal said: "This is extremely disappointing news considering that only two weeks ago we received a judgement from the High Court that declared the council's approach to determining the planning application... was quite correct. I am concerned that these delays will impact on the project which must be completed by 31 March 2011 in order that local residents can benefit from the ^20m funding coming from central government."

Hampshire County Council said it had the backing of 70% from residents during a period of consultation.

Work was halted by an injunction in September after environmentalists claimed badgers and bats might be at risk.

But clearance work was later allowed to continue after the council agreed to implement measures to protect animals and not to disturb badger setts.

[JayMac]

And this just in from the Daily Mail:

[vacman]

And this just in from the Daily Mail:

wouldn't it be funny if someone painted "mis" infront of "guided"........ what a complete waste of money..

[bemmy]

So that vehicle behind the blue post that has just driven over the sign is what one of these buses looks like? 

[eightf48544]

Any news?

Not heared trumpets blowing and Lord Adonis saying how wonderful the busway is as he cuts the ribbon to let the buses hurtle along free of traffic at 60 mph.