Western Orbital Frequently Asked Questions
1)What’s the route of the Western Orbital?
Any Western Orbital bus link couldbe located either on the M11 or very near the motorway to either the East or West between junctions 11 (Trumpington) and 13 (Madingley Road). As this project is at an early, conceptual stage, detailed planning of routes has yet to be undertaken. However, any bus link Off-M11 would seek to follow the alignment of the M11 as far as is possible.
2)What’s the point of a Western Orbital?
Creating an ‘Orbital’ bus (and possibly also cycle) link would encourage sustainable travel and offer an alternative to travelling through the busy city centre. Partially or fully segregated bus links would enable consistent journey times and deliver timetable reliability. Without bus priority measures, services get caught up in traffic congestion, become delayed and are less reliable.
A ‘Western Orbital’ between Junctions 11 (Trumpington) and Junction 13 (Madingley Road) would enable travel between large housing developments such as Cambourne and Bourn Airfield and major employment sites as well as connecting to the Busway in the south at Trumpington Park & Ride and a bus route in the north at Orchard Park via the North West Cambridge site and NIAB/Darwin Green.
3)Why is there a need for new Park and Ride at…?
a)Junction 11 (Trumpington) - west of M11/north of the A10
The existing Trumpington Park & Ride is very busy and will reach capacity shortly. Developments including Trumpington Meadows and Clay Farm will add to congestion at peak times along Trumpington Road, this will get worse if no action is taken. An additional Park & Ride on County Council optioned land will encourage car drivers to access the City in buses and help to reduce congestion across the Junction and along the route.
b)Junction 12 (Barton)
Currently, there is no Park & Ride provision at the Barton junction of the M11. Options B, C and D suggest a Park & Cycle or Park & Ride near the junction in order to improve travel options from those living to the west and south west of Cambridge. No location has yet been decided on and would be subject landowner agreements and the decision of the City Deal Executive Board.
We are currently assessing the demand for parking and cycle facilities, which new P&R would generate. We need to consider not only current demand but also allow for future growth in demand.
4)What facilities will there be at a Park & Cycle/Park & Ride?
We would like your feedback on what facilities you would like to see at any new Park & Ride or Park & Cycle sites. Possibilities could include hire bikes, changing facilities, lockers, Brompton Docks, secure cycle storage and covered racks but have yet to be determined.
5)How does this join up with Cambourne to Cambridge?
Any bus priority scheme from Cambridge to Cambourne would intersect with any On-M11 or Off-M11 bus link in order to enable travel from Cambourne and nearby new developments to the West Cambridge Site, to Addenbrooke’s and the Biomedical Campus and to other employment areas around the outskirts of the city.
After the consultation, a report will go to the Executive Board and they will consider whether or not to take the projects further. Should instructions be received to pursue the schemes then they will be developed in reference to each other given their proximity.
6)What cycle improvements are suggested for Barton Road?
This scheme is in its early conceptual stages and detailed plans or proposals of cycling improvements on Barton Road are not available. Cycle improvements can take many forms from improving existing paths by resurfacing and/or increasing path width to creating new cycleways, cycle priority and crossing points for both cyclists and pedestrians.
The level of interest and support for cycle improvements to Barton Road – and what form these should take – is one of the elements we would like to gauge through the consultation process. Any cycle improvements would be linked and proportionate to the measures suggested for Junction 12 under the various options.
7)How does this scheme fit into the local plan?
The Local Plans for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire set out how and where development will take place to 2031 in The Greater Cambridge area. An increase in development will have an impact on the transport network of the county.
There are proposed developments along the vicinity of the A428, such as Cambourne West and Bourn Airfield. Should these developments go ahead, the Local Plan provides for some bus priority routes as part of planning requirements from developers. This would make buses an attractive alternative to driving.
A Western Orbital and bus priority from Cambourne to Cambridge would help alleviate the expected additional pressure on the transport system of proposed new developments by providing fast and reliable sustainable transport options.
8)Who is paying for it?
Central Government has provided Greater Cambridge with £100m of funding for transport infrastructure up to 2020 as part of a‘City Deal’. Government’s City Deal programme provides transport infrastructure investment to support high quality economic and housing growth over the coming decades. Various cities around the UK, such as Greater Birmingham and Nottingham, have been allocated these funds in order to improve infrastructure and boost economic growth. If certain triggers are met, a further £200m will be made available from 2020 to 2025 and another £200m from 2025 to 2030.
The Western Orbital scheme is being developed in preparation for any second tranche of funding from 2020-2025. Initial conceptual works are being funded from an allocation of £9m specifically for future projects.Currently, the estimated budget is £21m, excluding any additional fundsfrom developer contributions.The allocation of funds is at the direction of the City Deal Executive Board and depending on the initial ideas taken forward funding for the project may change.
A range of costs are suggested in the consultation as On-M11 and Off-M11 provision and each A-D option has its own cost. The current estimate for an On-M11 bus link is £9m and £30m for an Off-M11 this would be combined with costs for Park & Ride provision. Estimates for the different options are: Option A £3.5m; Option B £7.5m; Option C £6.5m; Option D £7.5m.
9)How do you plan on mitigating the environmental impacts?
Any scheme going forward requires ongoing environmental assessment. Initial environmental assessments are available online in the Document Library.
The aim of this assessment is to provide information about the effects that the project could have on the environment. It includes a description of the main impacts that might arise from the project including: ecology, air quality, noise, water, soils, landscape, heritage as well as others. Each impact identified will explain its likely magnitude, complexity and duration, frequency, reversibility and consequences. This assessment will inform the full list of steps to avoid or mitigate the identified environmental impacts.
10) What are you doing for cyclists and pedestrians?
For any off-M11 bus link we would look to create a high-quality foot and cycleway, similar to the successful Busway route and provision for cyclists and pedestrians would form an integral part of future proposals. Options B and D also include the suggestion of cycle improvements to Barton Road (see above).
Any cycleway constructed would comply with all relevant safety requirements good practice. The design of cycle and pedestrian elements of the scheme will follow the normal process of design development to ensure the highest standards possible are delivered.
Any new Park and Ride sites at Trumpington and Barton would include provision for cycle parking and possibly other facilities.
11) How long will it take to build?
This project is in its earliest stages and any future works, as yet, unfunded. There are a number of steps to go through prior to the decision to construct a scheme on this importance. This includes further consultation and analysis of the results, development of detailed plans, agreements with landowners and modelling of the likely performance and impact of scheme chosen. Any major transport scheme would require formal planning consent requiring further consultation with bodies such as Historic England and Highways England and other statutory consultees.
12) How often will the buses run down this Western Orbital?
The frequency, routing and timetabling of bus services is determined by the bus operators. However, there is evidence that where there is demand and where high quality infrastructure is put in place; bus companies are interested in running frequent services.
Additionally some large Cambridge employers have indicated an interest in running or ‘pump priming’ services to assist their staff.
13) Will you be compulsory purchasing people’s properties to construct the Western Orbital?
Please note the compulsory purchase process is made up of a number of stages. The City Deal Partnership would identify any additional land requirements during any future single option development stage. Consultation with those potentially affected would then take place and in any event prior to the formal application for Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO).
It is important to note that the City Deal Partnership does not have the powers to compulsory acquire land until the appropriate Government Minister confirms the CPO. However, it is important to note that these are only initial options at this stage and no route or options have been decided.
14) What are the alternatives?
These initial ideas are put forward as suggestions of a way of improving sustainable travel in the west of Cambridge. These possibilities are presented as part of stakeholder dialogue leading to a decision what scheme is needed.We welcome alternative ideas particularly those which would encourage sustainable travel between housing and employments sites, without the need to traverse the busy city centre.