Concern at impact of closure of busway's crossing points

FENCING WORK COULD CUT VILLAGE IN HALF, SAY WORRIED RESIDENTS

- By HANNAH BROWN Local democracy reporter

A PLAN has been proposed to reinstate an informal crossing point over the guided busway, after thousands raised concerns that blocking up some routes could cut a village in half.

Cambridgeshire County Council said it has to block off some informal crossing points as part of work to install new fencing along the busway for improved safety.

The authority said it has committed to working with communities to look at reinstating some of the crossings and making them safe to use.

Work is under way to install new fences and barriers along the guided busway, between the shared pathway and the bus track.

The £6.5 million project was started after the county council was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the deaths of three people on the busway.

The county council was fined £6 million and has said it accepts “full responsibility for the historical failings” and has apologised to the families and friends of those affected. The HSE is currently also investigating a crash involving a bus and a 13-year-old boy on the busway in March.

As part of work to install new safety fencing along the busway, the county council said it identified 23 locations of informal crossings that have been used regularly.