For some users this reduction in frequency is a big drawback but for other people the fact this this route now connects with the park and ride is a positive. The County officers who monitor bus usage say numbers are up. Certainly the drivers from Whippet who operate the bus seem friendly and on good terms with their passengers.
There have been reported no-shows and the county have been asked to investigate, and also to try to publicise the bus route to increase useage.
It may be time to start assessing how the services is operating and whether, six months in, it needs further refinements. This might help inform the options review coming up for the 31 service that runs via Fowlmere into Cambridge.
2 comments:
It would be a good idea to remove the stop at Station Road East for the Whittleford Rail station. This is of little use as it does not connect usefully with trains, there is a stop near Royston Rd/ Duxford Road junction within walking distance of station along Station Rd West.
If the Station Rd East stop was removed it would allow time for the bus to access the IWM bus stop. There are a number of passengers using the 7A for the IWM as there is no other Mon-Sat bus service to the museum. At present 7A has to drop off on A505.
Three months on and patronage on the 7A service is still low, particularly from Hinxton, Heathfield & Whittlesford residents for whom the service was set up, (most passengers appear to be from Gt Shelford, Hinton Way area)
No 'fine tuning' of the route has been done, the bus is still making wasted journies to Whittlesford Rail Station, & around the Sunderlands Ave/Churchfield Ave/Link Rd loop at Sawston (well served by Stagecoach C7). Still no 'official stop' listed for IWM.
With these changes there would be more time for the bus to terminate at Addenbrookes Bus Station thus avoiding a long cold wait at Babraham P&R when the waiting room is closed.
This service looks set for the axe in the next wave of CCC cuts!!
What are you doing about this Mr Topping?
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