National Express is on the move in Cambridge19 February 2007 National Express is on the move as the next stage in Cambridgeshire County Council's implementation of the Cambridge Core Traffic Scheme Stage 4 begins. From Monday 5 March all National Express services will be relocated from their current Drummer Street stops to a new stop on Parkside. This move is an integral part of Cambridgeshire County Council's Core Traffic Scheme Stage 4, which includes a wide range of proposals designed to improve bus services, reduce congestion, improve safety and enhance the environment in the Drummer Street, Emmanuel Street and St. Andrew's Street area. Stage 4 will see the introduction of a westbound one-way system in Emmanuel Street later this year. When implemented, this will ease congestion in the area but would have made access difficult for National Express' services at their current stops in Drummer Street. Mike Lambden, Head of Corporate Affairs for National Express said: "National Express understands Cambridgeshire County Council's proposals for improving the central area for public transport users, and in all discussions we have been keen to keep a city centre location for our passengers. Our customer research has shown an overwhelming desire for a City Centre stop and we feel that out of all the options presented to us, in Parkside we have achieved this. Drummer Street still remains our favoured location but we understand why the council wants local buses to have priority in the area. We are working very closely with Cambridgeshire County Council to make the move as easy as possible". The County Council considered a range of locations with National Express and Parkside provides a location close to the city centre and good connections with local buses. All other locations considered were not suitable. The partnership approach between National Express and Cambridgeshire County Council has also led to other improvements for long distance coach users. The majority of National Express services currently call at Trumpington Park & Ride, which has proved very popular with customers. Some small, but significant, timetable changes have been made by National Express to ensure that as many of their services as possible can now stop at Madingley Road Park & Ride as well. Cambridgeshire County Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Services said: "Stage 4 of the Cambridge Core Traffic scheme, when implemented, will lead to improvements in the central area for all users. Moving National Express from Drummer Street will enable us to prepare for the implementation of the one-way system later this year. Although work in Drummer Street and Emmanuel Street will not start until later in the year, the move has be timed to coincide with changes to the national changes to the National Express timetables. We are also working with National Express to actively promote Trumpington and Madingley Road Park & Ride sites as viable alternatives to Parkside for catching long distance coaches." In locating the long distance coaches to Parkside, Cambridgeshire County Council has provided three new shelters, worked with National Express to make sure that staff will be on hand daily between 8am and 6pm to ensure the services runs as efficiently as possible and introduced a space that parents can use to drop and collect their children from the nearby nursery. For further information about the Cambridge Core Traffic Scheme Stage 4 please visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/core4. -ENDS- Notes to editors: For further information please contact Brian Stinton Cambridgeshire County Council on 01223 712244 or 718587 or Cambridgeshire County Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Services on 01954 200571 or 07720 379699 or Joy Williams, Communications Manager, National Express on 0121 423 8716. For further political contacts for Environment and Community Services: Liberal Democrat spokes Alexander Reid on 01223 356537; Labour spokes Elizabeth Hughes on 01223 313764. National Express wants to provide shelter for their staff that work on site. The supervisors help people to board and alight, provide drivers with up to date booking information and assist in the efficient running of the services. Cambridgeshire County Council has put in a planning application for a kiosk, which will be determined in March. If successful a kiosk will hopefully be on site in April 2007. In the meantime National Express will continue to operate from their Drummer Street base, to ensure a high level of customer service is maintained. Back to top Please use the browser 'close' button (top right) to close this window. |