The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway

Just when you think you've seen everything in the transportation world, you encounter something different. That happened to me on an infrastructure tour in Cambridge, England, when my guides showed be this guided busway.
The video only shows a short segment of The Busway, but it's fascinating. The wheels of the bus run between grooved concrete slabs along an old rail line. The system also handles drainage without burdening the sewers: Stormwater is absorbed by the ground.
At 16 miles, the Cambridge guided busway is the longest one in the world. Bus speeds can reach up to 55 mph.
A busy biking and walking path runs right next to the route. You won't find railings separating the busway from the trail. There's no honking or flashing lights like you would find in the USA -- just common sense.

[@donteatthechalk]

The use of bells makes me giggle. Such a British innovation.

[@mirvids5036]

Like the railways were too ?

[@GaryCameron780]

If it's stupid and it works it's not stupid.

[@andyc9902]

Pure innovation

[@musicjunk8266]

Everything was a British innovation! 🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@ARSZLB]

the one thing that would make this sort of system perfect (if there weren't any bridges/overpasses to contend with, of course) would be to retrofit the busway with overhead electric contact lines and the buses with cantilever systems on their roofs, power operated and controlled by the driver when they enter/exit the bus way, very similar to how the Silver Line dual-mode trolleybuses in Boston, MA operate to/from South Station via the dedicated bus tunnel...before entering the tunnel, the buses stop momentarily at a staging area which gives the driver a chance to correctly position their bus and raise their cantilever to connect with the overhead before shutting down the diesel engine entirely and operating on electric-only mode when driving in the enclosed tunnel, and of course vice-versa when the buses exit the tunnel leaving South Station. i had the unique opportunity to ride it when i visited Boston and it was certainly one of the most interesting public transit experiences i've personally had.

[@andywilliams7323]

Such a system wouldn't provide any additional worthwhile benefit in this case. The buses are maintaining a constant 50 MPH speed. So their emissions are very low. And the trees lining the route immediately absorb most of what's emitted. Installing and continually maintaining overhead electric cables is significantly more expensive. The cantilever buses are also much more expensive to purchase and maintain than an ordinary bus. The overhead wires would look unsightly and spoil the scenery for no benefit. There just isn't the necessity or justification for overhead electrification along that route. Especially given that much cheaper zero-emission hydrogen buses are now beginning to arrive in this country.

[@tomv3361]

Why re-inventing the wheel...trams are much simpler and better.

[@elixier33]

​@@andywilliams7323I'm on a bus right now using this. Constantly slowing down braking speeding up. Almost never hit top speed.

[@unionjack2209]

Wow.The bell idea is so interesting.

[@TrenyCwm]

This is such a great scheme, I'm so impressed.

[@EdgyNumber1]

I do wish they'd build these in the Coventry/Walsgrave area. Plenty of wide roads with big central reservations could use these, especially with the articulated buses (144 passengers as opposed to 88 with a double decker)

[@hesterclapp9717]

It's basically a rail-replacement bus. What do you think when I phrase it like that?

[@ValecDE]

They can run on ordinary streets in the cities. Gives them a lot of flexibility. Great idea!

[@hesterclapp9717]

@@ValecDE Is there any point in them being flexible if they're not fast, comfortable or high-capacity?

[@MannyAntipov]

@@hesterclapp9717 a guided busway, or even a bus lane, benefit buses which makes them faster than the ordinary roads for cars

[@georgedowns4034]

@@hesterclapp9717 thry are actually all those things

[@AymanTravelTransport]

Wow! They're very fast on the Cambridgeshire guided busways! On the one in Greater Manchester, they only go 30mph!

[@Geno2733]

If the "track" is relatively straight and long, they could hit 50 without an issue. I think the biggest benefit is making a dedicated lane to bypass congested areas.

[@hesterclapp9717]

At least Manchester has trams as well, which do go fast out of the city centre

[@martinbaines]

It only goes at that speed out of town. In fact there was not really a problem with bus speeds before they built it out of town (there is a major trunk route between Cambridge and Huntington that has recently been upgraded even more). In town, most of the busses come off the busway and then get stuck in traffic just like a regular bus. Many of us thought it was near criminal to ruin the route of the old railway, which could have been reinstated or used for light rail.

[@kanyefuck7018]

The speed limit was 56 mph but has since been reduced to 30 mph.

[@NODDINGCAT]

nice little film!

[@_CaptainCookie]

I feel articulated buses would be good here. It would increase loading speed and likely improve service quality significantly

[@MrPDoff]

Great idea

[@m_affiliates]

how many times are we going to reinvent the train?

[@MegaRage92]

Sheffield needs this

[@somattalistenta]

I noticed this new bus system while planning our trip online around the Uk next year, so it was great to see the video of it, thank you. We will be staying in St Ives for three days and so we will catch this bus to Cambridge. I assume it's cheaper than using the train?

[@gordonmcmillan5556]

John sumattasay there are no direct trains to Cambridge from St Ives

[@kanyefuck7018]

It's actually at least a couple of times more expensive than comparable train journeys.

[@somattalistenta]

@@kanyefuck7018 Thanks for your reply. My wife and I actually used the bus system and it was terrific and fast.

[@bhusinghisking]

Good idea

[@MyLandscapeArt]

I wonder if we're at the point now where a 'virtual' track could be used? ie. standard asphalt or concrete road but with the buses guided by a 'virtual' track. Still for the exclusive use of buses.

[@lemelleiur]

it wouldn't be as smooth as its asphalt and it would get potholes, it would be loud and bumpy

[@Liburmulu]

Mantap bro!

[@Alexander-rk3re]

*Transjakarta buses should be like this*

[@chawza8402]

our buses are not even allowed to drive more than 50km/s lol

[@aviman2010]

I get the busway. What I don't get is why it has to be guided. Wouldn't a simple dedicated road do just the same job. I tried describing this system to a friend but I still think that he thinks it's a wind up.

[@jamiechippett1566]

Hi I live in Adelaide South Australia and the obarn bus system is a pearla concept we have here.looks great, efficient, economical,etc works great for the community mayby that's why Adelaide is the 5th most liveable city in the world,other cities could learn from our obahn system proof is in the pudding so to speak.

[@MsGalfreak]

If so ... then why is Adelaide extending it's historic tram line to a new mode's lightrail network ... instead of it's single guided bus line ("O-Bahn") ?! 👋😜 🇩🇪

[@Bodragon]

Surely the "guided" buses suffer greater friction and therefore higher fuel consumption. Has this been looked at, at all?

[@rs-sl1tn]

instead they suffer wear and tear

[@Bodragon]

+Rαmαкrìsнnα S. A. - As well, and also, rather than instead, no?

[@frankworld13]

this is great idea should be implemented all over the country .

[@chawza8402]

thay call it trains

[@dxutube]

Been on this system myself for the first time today. At end of video: proof buses are faster than trains lol

[@debestgoncalves2441]

dxutube ii

[@hesterclapp9717]

100% not true. Get on a train towards London and you'll get to Whittlesford in 10 minutes, whereas the Citi 7, which also goes to Whittlesford takes over an hour

[@jorgefigueroa4437]

Veeder Root Hubodometers very popular on UK

[@TransportCambs]

My dad had an accident where he was driving on the busway for camebridge a cyclist went under his bus and he had to stop

[@Noi5ee]

yickes. Kind of what i was wa afraid of would happen when I saw how close the walkway is to the busrails. They should have put some distance between them.

[@TransportCambs]

Sometimes it's quite far, but the majority of it is close, means more incidents. Atleast a meter or 2 would do.

[@Noi5ee]

They should have put a barrier between the busway and the walkway

[@TransportCambs]

@@Noi5ee Yeah, just a shame that they don't care about safety I imagine.

[@lucasmacielfonseca8948]

@@TransportCambs "first world country"

[@scottpeacock5492]

Guided busway outside of Cambridge Rail station has now become abandoned and Cambridge County Council are now considering a tramway, this rail line to Bedford should have never been abandoned and now Cambridge city roads have now become congested during rush hour.

[@MsGalfreak]

Absolutely ! In deed, the most viewers here surely don't know, that this was a RAILWAY before ! So instead of dismantle and replacing the worthfull infrastructure by a completely new constructed guided bus way, it would have been much more ... - easy; - sustainable; - economically; - and attractive; ... if they had just used the existing tracks by a so-called "TRAM-TRAIN" system (like the one in Manchaster) and thus opened up the option of a new Tram system in Cambridge, at the same. 👋 🇩🇪 Warm greetings from you sister city Heidelberg.

[@Tetraden-a]

50 Mph? In Germany, trucks and busses do this regularly on the streets outside of cities...

[@stuinNorway]

The idea is by being guided they can squeeze the 2 lanes into a much tighter space, as they don't need to allow extra space wither side, the busses are contained, much like a tram, but can go onto normal roads as well. Also most town centres are 30mph areas in the UK.

[@lazrseagull54]

The worlds first guided busway - the "Spurbus" in Essen, Germany only does 70 Kmh? In UK, trucks and buses do this regularly on the streets outside of cities...

[@richardharvey1732]

After several years of service the thing that I cannot help noticing is the massive increase i the use of the cycleway and footpath, also that the buses are surprisingly quiet, although there is quite a whoosh as they pass. The one major limitation with the system in Cambridge is that as soon as the busway enters the town, where the traffic is worst, the busway ceases to exist and everybody has to use the same congested streets!. One could be forgiven for thinking that the original planners are so convinced of the merits the private car that they deliberately compromise its alternatives. You have only to observe the way Amsterdam's traffic system allows adequate space for cycles, pedestrians, cars and buses so that reasonable proportions are reserved!.

[@lazrseagull54]

There have been proposals for busway tunnels under the city centre.

[@jamesfrench7299]

I thought Adelaide's system couldn't be matched but this looks really cool. This looks like somewhere in Europe, not the UK.

[@kd84afc]

UK is Europe

[@tomdevaloca]

Gokil ya, coba ada di indo, hehe

[@ron5967]

I live in Cambridge

[@emporioalnino4670]

I don't

[@bkrider19]

Brilliant. Are the buses electric now? Quiet buses on that route would be great for the cyclists.

[@HDTransport]

Cambridge hasn’t even started using electric buses on regular services so no chance of guided ones at the moment

[@OriginalPuro]

@@HDTransport Not electric in 2019? :o I hope they run on biogas or something, then.

[@HDTransport]

@@OriginalPuro They have run on Bio Fuel but I don't know if they still do that

[@kerryouellet5388]

I'm a little confused. What advantage are the rails? Why not just limit the buses to particular roads (no cars or bikes allowed) vs. having to build all of those rails?

[@type17]

No steering required, so the buses can do 50mph/80km/h close to the ped/cycle path and through the narrow gaps which exist on what is a disused railway route

[@Taecool407]

0:47 my school

[@rorysmith9382]

How about free bus passes for everyone in the United Kingdom, (Scotland, Wales, England, and Northern Ireland) with no means testing, or age limit? This would ensure less people would use cars, so helping to reduce traffic congestion, and the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the transport network. It would reduce air pollution so helping to save young lives. We would also need CCTV on all buses to ensure no bullying of vulnerable people on public transport. Millionaires would get free bus passes, as the purpose of this is getting people into cars less, and onto public transport more. A millionaire using a car less is equally good for the environment, as anyone else. Diolch. Da Boch thanks merci beaucoup

[@AymanTravelTransport]

That would be a brilliant idea but do they have the money to permit that?

[@Bodragon]

+Rory Smith - "fewer" people (not "less").

[@constellation8716]

that is such a bad idea, how would bus companies make any money?

[@allseeingeye93]

It's a nice idea but it isn't really practical. In the age of self driving electric vehicles, public expenditure on buses and trains really doesn't make much sense since they will be made obsolete before the investment can pay off. In 5 years we'll start seeing the rapid proliferation of autonomous car sharing services where a car will drive itself to the customer, take them to their destination, and then drive itself to the next user. If local governments introduced staggered work hours, for example half of the population works 9am to 5pm and the other half works 10am to 6pm, then autonomous cars would allow most people to use car sharing services to commute without the need for a personal vehicle. The added advantage of this is that communities can take advantage of existing transportation infrastructure rather than having to invest in railways and buses.

[@randomyoutubechannel2470]

That's what they did in Louxembourg.

[@DavidSmith-xf7fu]

They tore up a perfectly good track and bulldozed anything else, (pressure groups stopped destruction of some historic buildings) In the way of this unpopular, way over budget and late thing.. Trams would have made more sense. In Sheffield for example, trams use some BR routes/stations.

[@pandaonabus]

The advantage of the bus is that it can seamlessly go from the roads around Cambridge to the bus way and then to the roads in st ives at the other end. A tram would be a bad idea in Cambridge, tram lines often cause a problem for cyclists. It was also be incredibly expensive to implement and would be harder to make changes to if they decided to change the route.

[@bikesharedude]

Crazy. Locked in. Good for some things (reusing old train routes), but loses flexibility (cannot drive around obstacles)

[@pratikashwekar7783]

but wouldnt that be a problem with trains as well? Trading all those things for speed seems like and excellent idea. only problem is that there is no passing lane. So seems like will can only be used in areas where the distance between stops is enough

[@thebravegallade731]

basically a highay exclusivly for buses. as for passing lanes, why? when everyone stops at every stop and goes at the same speed, only an accident would nessisate that. as for flexability? the buses, if the line was unavailable, could just simply go on normal roads.

[@miniak9593]

It's like a worse tramway.

[@soundnicetome]

Sorry people....should have rebuilt what was left of the original rail line....people wanted a railway...NOT a bus on concrete..Geeeeezzzzz?? Noisy and bumpy all the way...a really cheap and cheerful alternative..sorry where do they get these planners from?

[@lewis72]

This busway went massively over budget and was far more expensive than reinstating the railway.

[@EdgyNumber1]

Can't drive a train in and around a busy town centre...

[@lewis72]

What makes you think that everyone wants to go to the middle of the *city* centre? www.castiron.org.uk/journey.php

[@lazrseagull54]

It'll probably get converted into rail one day but this was a cheap way to get a service going without the headache of installing tram tracks in the historic city centre. If they ever decide to get that proposed busway tunnel built, I can imagine the network being converted to light rail.

[@gordonmcmillan5556]

Horrible ride, buses ‘hunt’ from side to side as they run giving a most unpleasant feeling

[@Ineedahandle75]

Perhaps I am missing something, but I don't see the point of it.

[@hskdjs]

It could be much cheaper if we ban cars and use regular buses but with autopilots

[@qjtvaddict]

Wait a minute Elon musk’s high speed guide way can be adjusted for buses!!!!! They can make em high speed!!!!

[@MsGalfreak]

Best ironic humor 👋😂😜🤣👌

[@TonyWangDesign]

Too close to cyclists! Huge safety issues!

[@pandaonabus]

It’s sad that there have been multiple deaths that prove you correct. I think most of it has a fence between the path and the busway now at least

[@diesel92kj1]

What a waste of bloody money & time. Just build a road for everyone.

[@conveyor2]

Yes. Road building doesn't cost anything.

[@millercool21]

The point is to boost joney time and so cars don't block the street 🤦‍♀️

[@johnchurch4705]

Should have kept the rail line, doesn’t suffer the issues of the road deck braking up and wasting more money trying to fix it..