...as a local bus user
The main focus of the proposals is to improve bus access and management. All bus operators using the bus stops in the area would be required to sign up to a Quality Bus Partnership (QBP) which amongst other things would deliver the following key objectives:

• Improve bus stop use, with no buses occupying stops for any longer than necessary and more chance of a bus being able to pull into its correct stop
• Improved ticketing facilities to speed up boarding with the long-term objective of introducing smartcards
• On-street support staff operating from a new management office in the bus station
• Improved arrangements for letting bus users know about changes to services
• Reducing bus emissions to improve air quality

It is proposed to redesign Emmanuel Street and Drummer Street to provide a high quality environment for bus passengers. The design will include better bus shelters able to accommodate real time bus information and raised kerbs at bus stops for easier access to buses. Real time bus information will give passengers up-to-the-minute arrival times for their bus and it is expected that this will be implemented in the near future.

Emmanuel Street is being one-way towards St. Andrew's Street, which means bus stops will all be located on the south east side only. This will reduce congestion and delay to services. Some re-routing of services will be required and details will be available here when this happens. New bus stops will be provided in Drummer Street in place of the existing taxi rank. Some stops will be designated for drop off only to avoid passengers having to sit on buses when their bus stop is in use by another bus. Reducing the amount of time buses unnecessarily spend in stops, by providing alternative places to layover and by changing crews elsewhere, will mean all buses would have a better chance of using their designated stops.

The provision of bus layover facilities (places buses can park to wait between services) are essential for services that have extra time built into their timetable to cater for possible delays in their journeys. However, these services are not always delayed and as such can arrive into the core area earlier than expected. If they wait at their allocated stop before coming into service they prevent other services from using it. Layover facilities are currently provided in Parkside and Victoria Avenue. Introducing a 1-hour time limit on these bays would avoid buses parking for long periods. this would free up space for more buses to layover. In addition we will be providing a short stay layover facility (10-minute maximum stay) in Park Terrace to avoid buses out of service waiting in bus stops in the Core area. It is anticipated that this short stay facility would be monitored by CCTV to prevent any abuse.

All bus stops in the Core area will be restricted to use by bus operators signing up to the QBP. Bus stop clearways restrictions would be applied to all the bus stops during the day to prohibit any other vehicles stopping there.

The existing bus stops in St.. Andrew's Street near Park Terrace will be relocated to Regent Street to provide space for a proposed road closure point. The closure point would reduce traffic levels in St. Andrew's Street and Emmanuel Street, giving more priority to bus movements.

Links to draft Quality Bus Partnership documents containing:

Draft table of responsibilities of the County Council and bus operators (PDF 62KB).

Draft Code of Conduct on Service Stability (PDF 79KB).

Draft Health and Safety policy for Drummer Street Bus Station PDF (66KB).

...as a long distance bus user
Making Emmanuel Street one-way towards St. Andrew's Street would mean that the current long distance bus stops in Drummer Street would not be accessible without buses having to perform a U-turn within the bus station which is impractical and undesirable.

Finding a suitable alternative site to retain a city centre base for long distance buses has proved difficult but it is proposed to move them to Parkside.

The existing pay and display parking on the south side of Parkside will be removed and the current bus layover bay opposite the Police Station be reduced in size. This will allow for the provision of a new long distance bus stop, with space for up to 3 buses. A new taxi rank for approximately 5 cabs is also planned.

The long distance bus stop will be separated from the taxi rank and the bus layover bay by footway build-outs, with a staff kiosk being provided on the build-out nearest the city centre. This kiosk will be the base for operational staff and provide travel information to customers. Bus shelters for waiting passengers will be provided at the back of the footway by the long distance bus stops.

The part of the bus layover bay that will be retained would be subject to a maximum stay of 90 minutes to encourage a greater turnover of spaces and to prevent buses being left in the bay all day.

To compensate for the loss of bus layover in Parkside, the lay-by on the west side of Victoria Avenue will be converted to a bus layover bay during the day (7am-7pm) with a maximum stay of 90 minutes. The lay-by will be available for general parking outside of these hours. The existing bus layover on the eastern side of Victoria Avenue will be subject to similar control.

For a plan showing these proposals please click here (181KB). 

Additionally, the Trumpington Park & Ride site is easily accessible and continues to be used regularly for dropping off and picking up long-distance bus passengers. We will continue to promote the comfort and convenience of this facility to passengers and operators.

...as a taxi user
The taxi rank in Drummer Street will be moved to the opposite side of the road and redesigned as part of the proposals to improve the area. A rank will be retained in St. Andrew's Street which will better suit trips to destinations north of the city centre. A new taxi rank would be provided in  Parkside close to the long distance bus stops retaining an important link between these forms of transport.

To accommodate the closure point in St. Andrew's Street the existing taxi rank opposite Park Terrace, which is rarely used by taxi drivers or customers, will be removed.

...as a car, delivery driver or motor cyclist
As with earlier stages of the Core Traffic Scheme, essential access for cars, motorcycles and delivery vehicles would be retained but the routes available may not be as convenient as at present.

Two road closure points are proposed; one in St. Andrew's Street restricting northbound traffic on Regent Street from entering St. Andrew's Street and one in Downing Street, also restricting motor vehicular access to St. Andrew's Street. At this time the closure point in St. Andrew's Street will be going ahead but a decision on the Downing Street Closure has been deferred. 

The closure point in St. Andrew's Street will operate at all times. Essential access to St. Andrew's Street will still be possible via Park Terrace (or Parkside) - Parker Street - Drummer Street - Emmanuel Street. However, northbound traffic on St. Andrew's Street, beyond the closure point, will be limited to authorised buses and taxis and pedal cycles. Traffic would still be able to travel along this section of St. Andrew's Street southbound.

Parking on the west side is St. Andrew's Street, alongside the new contra-flow bus lane will still be possible by crossing over the bus lane when permitted by waiting and loading restrictions.

Should the Downing Street closure go ahead it is proposed that it would operate between 4pm and 7pm, Monday to Saturday to give buses a clearer route out of the city centre. Downing Street would be made two-way between tennis Court Road and Downing Place at all times. Motorists using Lion Yard car park will always be able to leave the area via Downing Street - Tennis Court Road or Wheeler Street - Bene't Street - Trumpington Street or, outside the closure operating hours, also via St. Andrew's Street - Regent Street. Large delivery vehicles leaving the new Grand Arcade service yard in St. Tibb's Row would be permitted to exit via Downing Street / Regent Street during the closure period to avoid using other routes which are not suitable for large vehicles.

A limited number of parking spaces will be lost along St. Andrew's Street and Park Terrace but additional disabled parking spaces will be provided as part of the scheme. The motorcycle parking in St. Andrew's Street outside Mandela House will be moved to Park Terrace.

Changes to loading restrictions are also proposed along Regent Street and St. Andrew's Street.

...as a pedestrian
It is proposed to significantly improve the environment in Drummer Street, Emmanuel Street and St. Andrew's Street for pedestrians by de-cluttering the street and widening the footways where possible. We are currently consulting on the changes for Emmanuel Street and Drummer Street. We are planning to set out proposals for St. Andrew's Street later this year.

Providing bus stops only on the south east side of Emmanuel Street will help seperate pedestrians waiting for buses and those walking through the street. This will cater for the extra people expected to be moving between the redeveloped historic centre shopping areas and the Grafton shopping centre.

Improvements will be made to the Park Terrace - Parker Street junction to avoid buses mounting the corner as they make the left turn.

The measures to reduce pollution from traffic would make the streets in the area more pleasant for pedestrians, whilst the road closures would reduce overall traffic levels.

Controls on bus exhaust emissions would lead to an improvements in air quality.

...as a cyclist
A contra-flow cycle lane along Emmanuel Street (when it becomes one-way) will create a better environment for cyclists, particularly for those leaving the city centre.  

North of the closure point in St. Andrew's Street cyclists would be able to use the contra-flow cycle lane.

Additional cycle parking will be provided along Regent Street.