Submitted by Grainne Kennedy on Mon, 2016-06-27 14:15
A new bus service called ‘The Universal’ will be starting on 23 July 2016. Directly connecting West Cambridge to the railway station by public transport for the first time The Universal will be an improved service to the Uni 4 bus, with greater frequency and route connections to assist journeys by public transport. It will be a facility for all members of the public, subsidised by the University of Cambridge.
Jess Cunningham, Travel Plan Manager for the University of Cambridge said:
“The Universal service includes simpler fares, a stop at the railway station and use of the busway; this will make a much more reliable, accessible service which the University in partnership with the bus operator will be monitoring. Connecting the places that people want and need to get to is a vitally important part of our travel planning, not just for University staff but also the wider Cambridge community.”
The route will continue to connect Addenbrooke’s in the south of Cambridge to the city centre and the West Cambridge site with the Madingley Road Park and Ride. A series of improvements to the service will be made over a period of time. These include:
- From 23 July 2016, the bus route will go via Cambridge railway station as well as the city centre
- From November 2016, the bus will travel from Cambridge railway station to Cambridge Biomedical Campus via the guided busway.
- From early 2017, the bus will enter the North West Cambridge Development and its local centre called Eddington.
- The service will run at a 15-minute frequency Monday-Friday between 07:00 and 19:30 and with a 20-minute frequency on Saturdays.
Heather Topel, Acting Project Director for the West and North West Cambridge Developments said:
“With ambitions for a long-lasting and sustainable place on the new development, creating connectivity to local destinations and to strategic employment and public transport hubs is important. The eagerly awaited connection from this part of Cambridge to the railway station is a benefit for the local community and the service will be running in advance of the arrival the residents of the North West Cambridge Development.”
The service will be operated by Whippet who will be offering a flat £2 fare for all journeys across this route, while University card holder journeys are £1. More information about the University bus and the timetable is available here.