- Quick and easy – frequent 'turn up and go' bus services on mostly traffic-free routes
- Reliable – buses won’t get stuck in traffic
- More travel choices
- Sustainable - electric or eco-friendly buses, with at least 10% biodiversity net gain to offset environmental impacts of the scheme
A new travel route between Waterbeach and Cambridge
Including a new busway, travel hub, and path for walking, wheeling and cycling
- a busway connecting the new town of Waterbeach, Landbeach to north Cambridge
- a travel hub west of the A10 near Denny End Road in Waterbeach
- a path for people walking, wheeling, cycling, and horse riding along the new busway
Our route links to Cambridge Research Park and the relocated Waterbeach railway station.
In Cambridge it connects to the existing busway serving Cambridge Regional College, the Science Park, Cambridge North station, and the city centre.
Benefits
What will the busway look like?
The image shows a typical cross-section of our route, which would:
- be mostly off-road,
- have traffic lights at road junctions,
- interact with other traffic only junctions and a short, upgraded section on Butt Lane.
- A verge would separate the path from the busway.
Travel Hub
Travel Hub is to the west of the A10 in Waterbeach, north of Denny End Road. Both cars and buses access the travel hub via a new junction on the A10. This new junction also links into the new town.
Facilities at the travel hub:
- building with toilets and indoor seating
- shelters with outdoor seating
- real time bus information
- parking for 1,600 cars, coaches, trailers, cycles and motorcycles.
- drop-off/pick-up areas
- electric charging points
Our travel hub would use renewable energy where possible, for electric vehicle charging and powering the building.
Why do we need the scheme?
Our key aim is to meet the needs of communities to the north of Cambridge by providing quick, easy and reliable transport options.
Challenges
- The A10 is heavily congested, especially near Cambridge, during peak times.
- The railway between Waterbeach and Cambridge is overcrowded at peak times.
- upcoming developments include:
- up to 11,000 new homes in the new town of Waterbeach,
- 20,000 new jobs in North East Cambridge and
- more jobs at the Cambridge Research Park off the A10.
These will increase pressure on the transport network.
Solutions
- Our new busway and new travel hub
- Proposals to expand capacity on the A10
- Walking and cycling routes, such as the Waterbeach Greenway and Mere Way
- A new railway station for Waterbeach
- Bus, walking and cycling improvements on Milton Road.
Background documents 2025
Councillors give green light for busway application to be submitted
Cambridgeshire County Council meeting, Tuesday 11 February 2025
Councillors considered our proposals in detail. They voted in favour of a Transport and Works Act Order application to be submitted to the Department for Transport. More information can be found via the links below:
Background documents 2023 - outline business case
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2023 Outline Business Case executive summary 1.14MB
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2023 Outline Business Case 12.55MB
Documents 2020
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2020 SOBC non-technical summary 629KB
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2020 SOBC 6.08MB
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2020 SOBC options appraisal report 6.26MB
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2020 constraints plan 682KB
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2020 area of interest plan 549KB
Pre 2020 studies and reports
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2018 Ely to Cambridge corridor transport study 4.81MB
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2018 Ely to Cambridge corridor transport study options modelling report 13.63MB
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2018 Ely to Cambridge corridor transport study Waterbeach new town report 2.05MB
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2018 Ely to Cambridge corridor transport study Cambridge NE fringe report 3.7MB
- Published 15 May 2024W2C 2018 Ely to Cambridge corridor transport study do minimum report 14.55MB