Submitted by Susannah Cook on Wed, 2023-07-26 15:51
Analysis of trip data has revealed that 2022/23 has been the busiest year ever on the Universal bus.
Nationally, bus operators are reporting that their services are at 80-90% of pre-Covid levels, but our service has now exceeded the previous best year of 2018/19 for which 693,000 trips were made. With a few days left we look to be on course for a figure of 739,000 trips!
As of early July, the service started picking up and dropping off passengers at Huntingdon Road, Girton for early morning and evening trips. This now means that rail commuters, sixth form students and hospital workers from Girton can get a direct bus to the railway station, Long Road Sixth Form College and Addenbrooke’s. The current timetable can be seen here.
From the start of Michaelmas Term a more extensive timetable will be in place with Girton getting a bus every 30 minutes, along with Grange Road and Barton Road, which makes the Universal more of an attractive transport option for Girton, Newnham, Wolfson and Selwyn Colleges.
The new electric buses are on their way!
The buses are at Mellor Bus’s large workshop in Rochdale being fitted out with seats, CCTV and all of the other technology that goes on board, as well as being wrapped in the new livery. The first pair of buses should be arriving at Whippet’s Swavesey depot soon and gradually they will start to operate on the route. The existing Euro VI diesel buses will then operate on rural bus routes that Whippet deliver, such as the X2, X3 and 66.
Travel on the new buses remains at £1 per journey for University staff and students who show their ID card. There will continue to be lots of other ticket types and discounts available.
The new buses feature a new design of seat, free wi-fi and USB charging points. There will be visual and audible next stop announcements, and a range of safety features such as state of the art CCTV on board, cameras in preference to wing mirrors and Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA). ISA on board ensures that speed limits are adhered to.
Whippet will be bringing one of the new buses to the Fresher’s Fair on 3rd and 4th of October, so do come and have a look!
Written by: Mike Davies, Transport Manager