Cambourne to Cambridge Better Transport Project - Phase 2

PHASE 2 - Madingley Mulch Roundabout to Bourn Airfield and Cambourne

We were asking for your views on three options for the link between Madingley Mulch roundabout and Bourn roundabout.

• Option 1 is entirely off-road, only interacting with other traffic at junctions.
• Option 2 is entirely on-road, with public transport mixing with general traffic and basic junction improvements.
• Option 3 is entirely on-road, but with dedicated public transport lanes.

The section from Bourn roundabout to Broadway forms part of a major planning application for approximately 3,500 homes at Bourn Airfield and is the same across all options. All options show two alternatives for entry to Cambourne, travelling with general traffic through the village (Route A), or up Broadway and along St Neots Road (Route B), entering Cambourne from the north.

• Current journey time from Cambourne to Cambridge: 55 – 63 minutes
  (Citi 4 scheduled inbound journey times from Cambourne – Drummer St)
• Estimated future journey time from Cambourne to Cambridge city centre Drummer St: 32 – 39 minutes (Journey times are based on a congestion-free route. A 3-minute stop is assumed for Waterworks P&R and a 5-minute stop is assumed for Scotland Farm. Phase 1 section journey time assumed as 8 minutes. Existing bus journey times used between Grange Rd and city centre.)
• Journey reliability: This option is likely to offer the highest level of public transport reliability, as public transport vehicles would travel on new, segregated road space – bypassing congestion and any other disruption on the main road – avoiding delays to public transport services. 
• Estimated cost: £43m (Phase 2 costs only, excludes land and risk costs)
• There is likely to be some negative impact on the landscape, and this option would involve the greatest loss of vegetation, although existing planting would be retained as far as possible. New planting alongside the carriageway would be included where space allows.
• There may be a small increase in noise due to the increase in public transport vehicles, but this option would take public transport vehicles further away from existing houses than Options 2 and 3, and the operation of quieter and greener electric vehicles is proposed.
• There is potentially an improvement in air quality if more people use public transport rather than private cars. More information on possible
  air-quality impacts will be developed as more detailed traffic modelling is completed.
• There would be improvements to cycling and walking facilities alongside the link.
• The majority of construction would be off-road. There would be some minor disruption at junctions and side roads.

Option 2 - On-road with junction improvements - low-cost alternative

Public transport vehicles would run on-road along St Neots Road with general traffic east of the Bourn roundabout. There would be basic junction improvements.

• Current journey time Cambourne to Cambridge: 55 – 63 minutes
  (Citi 4 scheduled inbound journey times Cambourne – Drummer St)
• Estimated future journey time Cambourne to Cambridge city centre Drummer St: 35 – 42 minutes (Journey times are based on a congestion-free route. A 3-minute stop is assumed for Waterworks P&R and a 5-minute stop is assumed for Scotland Farm. Phase 1 section journey time assumed as 8 minutes. Existing bus journey times used between Grange Rd and city centre.)
• Journey reliability: This option is likely to offer the lowest level of public transport reliability, as public transport vehicles would be mixed with general traffic and would be affected by congestion and other disruption – causing delays to public transport services. Estimated cost: £25m (Phase 2 costs only, excludes land and risk costs)
• There would be a small impact on the landscape, as the link would operate on the existing road. Existing planting would be retained as far as possible.
• There may be a small increase in noise due to the increase in public transport vehicles, but operation of quieter and greener electric vehicles is proposed.
• There is potentially an improvement in air quality if more people use public transport rather than private cars. More information on possible air-quality impacts will be developed as more detailed traffic modelling is completed.
• There would be improvements to cycling and walking facilities alongside the link.
• This option requires minimal construction and could be completed relatively quickly, meaning little construction impact.

Option 3 - On-road with public transport priority lanes

Public transport vehicles would run on-road along St Neots Road in priority lanes running in both directions.

Approximate cost: £10m (excludes land costs)

• Likely to attract more demand than Waterworks
• Off the main route so likely to have longer public transport journey times
• Located in green belt
• Closer to Cambourne and Bourn Airfield, so easier for people to walk or cycle to the Park & Ride

Waterworks Park & Ride option

Approximate cost: £9m (excludes land costs)

• Likely to attract less demand than Scotland Farm
• On the main route so likely to have shorter public transport journey times
• Located in green belt
• Further from Cambourne and Bourn Airfield, so less easy for people to walk or cycle to the Park & Ride