Cambridge Guided Busway has a shaky start. 7th Aug 2011

Okay, okay, shouldn't be too critical on first day (but maybe I can at £180m!!).
Longstanton.Electronic sign indicates a new bus company Stagecaoch, (probably similar to Stagecoach.)
The 13.54 to St.Ives is half an hour late, then believe it or not three turn up!! Normally this is a joke, but this is reality.
The last part of the video is the ride between Longstanton and Oakington. Not all that smooth I must say (about as good as a newly resurfaced road). Wind blowing in around the door of the ageing bus must be irritating for the driver and those passengers near the front.
Note only one door, so long wait while passengers near the back get off, before new passengers get on.
No service to Addenbrookes on Sundays it seems, very strange!
Hope all problems will be resolved by tomorrow (Monday) for the first serious days use. Watch this space,(or visit the Cambridge News website.)

[@TheTurbulant]

Reading comment's it's interesting the views of some, where I live we have had a guided busway for a very long time (late 80's) it is very effective more versatile than a rail system and more cost effective as you don't need to invest in multiple modes of transport at each stop (ie rail stations) you have rail related infrastructure then a bus infrastructure to service the rail system, a guided busway speed of a dedicated corridor and then that bus can at some point in it's journey operate on the streets to continue a seamless service, and unlike rail if a train breaks down or crashes the whole rail comes to a complete stop where guided buses can divert on to a roadway to bypass the issue and still operate services just a bit delayed time wise.

[@Noi5ee]

In this case because the bridges would be to narrow for traditional bus way. @Mr Burns

[@milkymartz6280]

Most trains r faster though

[@CreatorPolar]

@@milkymartz6280 buses have much faster acceleration and are usually cheaper to use than trains, if only they were trolleybuses instead of polluting diesel buses

[@lucaslieberenz5094]

I imagine your talking about the Adelaide O-bahn. I live in Adelaide.

[@trajkociklista702]

What exactly happens if a bus brakes down while on the "rail" ? How does it get off of it, and what happens to all the other buses stuck behind the broken one ? This seams to combine the worst of buses and trams into one! You get the air pollution and noise of the bus, while keeping it stuck on the tracks like a tram. Isn't it more cheaper to just build a regular road, and if they don't want other vehicles on it, they could just use retracting bollards or something ? Simply amazing ...

[@HDTransport]

If it gets stuck, buses will get diverted (but for some buses, it's too late)

[@scottpeacock5492]

You could say the same thing about trains, how does a train get of the tracks or into siding if it breakdown, it doesn't, you expect delay same as buses, That life i'm afraid.

[@Derek_S]

It can be towed forwards or backward and can leave the guided tracks at any junction with a normal road, so it's a lot more flexible in event of a breakdown than a tram or train would be.

[@robloxboi3108]

Trajkociklista I was actually on one of these buses and it did break down, sadly it wasn’t on the guided busway but it was close to it

[@robloxboi3108]

idk what they would do tbh

[@04smallmj]

The last thing this country needs is more roads, it's car centric enough anyway :P

[@Harrison1420]

Overhead cables aren't ugly to an awful lot of people, it's completely subjective.

[@eirugsiongriffiths8563]

Ivest in light rail,cheaper than guided busways,trams can carry more passengers,you can even have trams that use rubber tyres as used in France,there are other ways of powering them besides using overhead power lines. Another option is to use Parry People movers,which look like trams,but have an internal engine and can run on light rail and heavy rail,available in three models,and currently in use in Stourbridge Junction. This government should look at these alternatives instead of building more roads causing more traffic problems.

[@southaussiegarbo2054]

Light rail is about the same cost and takes longer to install from memory. This is mostly heavy concrete. Rail is metal

[@ingodwetrustdellaware-inc8322]

I BET Those crazy 😜 teenagers driving there at night 🌉 🌙 they by pass the CAR TRAP and GO 😆 😆 🤣 😂 Especially those with SUV

[@MS46532]

PACERS!

[@BusProductions101]

How fast do they go, is it as fast as the one in Adelaide?

[@beauemmerson5809]

ABOUT 60

[@southaussiegarbo2054]

@@beauemmerson5809 60 what kph or mph?

[@JoshNunnyt]

@@southaussiegarbo2054 MPH

[@lucaslieberenz5094]

Mph. The Adelaide one is 90kph. As an Adelaide resident it should still be 100kph

[@mufc10529]

Bit sqeeky

[@tiernieves5940]

Other 1,940 years ago, the bus will be the AE58 XXF is a 163. If you have a what could it be for producted in Wednesday 24 January 77.

[@BENZENE6K]

How does it steer?

[@peterheath9002]

little wheels on both ends of the track rod roll against the raised kerbs to guide the vehicle!

[@frankworld13]

we need this in York .... York City council need to invest on this .

[@Matthew_M11]

Auto Bus possibilities unlocked.

[@KuntalGhosh]

Matthew M autonomous vehicles is already exists... company like scania and volvo are testing autonomous bus and trucks that is better than human drive and also safer where working with people is dangerous like mining area!!

[@Rhys4AUFC]

Adelaide’s may not be the longest anymore with the above, but it’s certainly still the best in the world

[@MacMacWA]

I don't get why they just aren't using trains? and when they are on the track is the driver steering or is it completely guided by the track?

[@HDTransport]

The driver isn't steering!

[@afshinzahida6341]

Amazing

[@eftcan4775]

Top Speed in 0 to ? Mph/Kmph

[@FranekTransport0607]

60mph is maximum speed limit on the guided busway in Cambridge however does still have some 20 and 40 mph limits at foot crossings

[@Ineedahandle75]

Honestly, what is the point of it?

[@peterheath9002]

none!

[@jamesfrench7299]

You two are so ignorant. It's way simpler and cheaper than a road, the buses can travel very close to each other as they pass, they'd no other traffic and they physically find it very difficult to drive on it illegally, there's no bitumen to degrade and get potholes from heavy vehicle use, the buses can go at their speed limit fit longer, saving fuel.

[@peterheath9002]

@@jamesfrench7299 far more expensive than a normal asphalt road!

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@peterheath9002 I don't think so. Cement is far more durable and doesn't need repairs. You're just laying pre formed cement block sections on the ground. You don't have to worry about rapid degradation by all sorts of traffic wearing it out and drainage is less complex. These have a place.

[@peterheath9002]

@@jamesfrench7299 concrete manufacture creates a lot of carbon dioxide, so not climate friendly

[@JoshNunnyt]

Poor man's railway

[@999locke]

thousands of people living in a shopping cart and they wast money on this weird bus

[@kentcyclist]

TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SPENT ON BUILDING A NEW MOTORWAY AS THATS WHAT WE PAY ROAD TAX FOR. THE GREAT UNWASHED HAVE NO RIGHT TO TRAVEL AND GET IN WAY OF MY DAIMLER

[@AB-im4bz]

kentcyclist well for the people who have no car and rely on public transport, try using a bus to work without anything in it's way. Faster, reliable, no car crash traffic jam delayed bus. P.s cheaper than building tram routes, light metro etc.