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Petition launched to reduce bus speeds on Cambridge Guided Busway after cyclist's deathCambridge Guided Busway (picturecredit Scania (Great Britain) Ltd.jpg

Petition launched to reduce bus speeds on Cambridge Guided Busway after cyclist's death

Steve Moir was killed as he rode home from work through Trumpington last month
by Simon_MacMichael
Mon, Oct 29, 2018 17:58
5

A petition has been launched calling on bus companies to instruct their drivers to reduce their speed on Cambridgeshire’s Guided Busway following the death of a cyclist last month.

Steve Moir, aged 50 and a father of three, was killed after he was struck by a bus in Trumpington as he rode home from his work at Cambridge Assessment on 13 September.

The exact circumstances of the fatal crash are the subject of an ongoing investigation.

> Investigation launched after cyclist is killed on Cambridge guided busway

The petition, launched on Change.org by Mr Moir’s friend Carrie Warren, reads:

We, the undersigned, call upon Whippet Coaches and Stagecoach East to instruct their drivers to reduce their speed to 20mph on the section of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway between Cambridge Railway Station and Long Road railway bridge until the results of the Health and Safety Executive investigation into the fatal accident on September 13 are published and can be considered.

We believe this step is necessary to make this section of the Busway safe for pedestrians and cyclists who are in close proximity to buses with no safety markings, fence, or other protection from fast-moving vehicles, and would be in compliance with the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway Operations Handbook v1.2, clauses 3.11, 7.6 and 7.8.

If the speed was reduced then drivers have a chance of reacting to people or other obstacles in the Busway in time, which may avoid or reduce the severity of any injuries.

One of Mr Moir’s three sons, 19-year-old Liam, told Cambridge News: "Someone my dad knew set up the page and me and my family have just been getting behind it and raising awareness for the cause.

"The petition means a lot to me and my family as buses fly down the busway and it’s very dangerous for people walking and cycling along there.

"My whole family wants to raise awareness because we don't want anything as horrible as what happened to us, to happen to anyone else.”

The petition has been signed by more than 3,500 people so far, and Liam added: "It's amazing to see how many people share the same views as us. I didn't realise it was going to do this well and get that many people signing and sharing it, it's amazing.

"It shows that after what's happened, people do want to help us and make a difference.

"Me and my dad were really close and shared a love of football and he took me to all my football matches.

“People should feel safe walking along the busway and maybe if the buses went slower then the bus could have stopped in time."

Steve Moir
Cambridge.
guided busway
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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5 comments

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vonhelmet | 6 years ago
0 likes

We have a guided busway near us.  I use the cycle path to ride back from work.  Ours has a fence between the cycle path and the busway itself, and the buses are in a trench of sorts, so hopefully we'll be OK...

Ours was built along an old railway line that was killed by Beeching.  There was a campaign to build a railway line along there again, but the busway won out.  I guess the railway line would have been an order or magnitude more expensive.  It remains to be seen how well the concrete on the busway wears.  It's very heavily used, at least, so that's something.

Avatar
john1967 | 6 years ago
1 like

WTF buses on tracks ??? it looks like something out of the simpsons.

Avatar
KINGHORN | 6 years ago
5 likes

3 buses have left the tracks, 2 on southern section and one at Longstanton.

 

There has also been 4 deaths, Swavesey (2), Histon and the latest one.

Avatar
Nixster | 6 years ago
3 likes

This post is factually incorrect in a number of ways, please don't confuse your opinion with the truth.

'Several' accidents with buses leaving the tracks, how many is that?  More than 2?

'A number' of deaths - is that number more than 1, before the sad death of Mr Moir?

Are the buses closer to cyclists etc on the guideway than they are on the road?

All the crossing points have advance signing to warn the drivers, much as you will see on roads at the approach to junctions.

While I can feel nothing but sympathy for Mr Moir's family, if the best public transport option is slowed to the point that it is faster to go on the roads then people will revert to their cars and we will all be less safe. 

Avatar
huntswheelers | 6 years ago
0 likes

The buses have been known to speed along the busway, which if you use it, is pretty close to cyclists, walkers and horses. There have been several accidents with buses leaving the "tracks" as well as a number of deaths. When you cycle along there you can feel the wind from the buses.... clearly they need more buses and slower speeds....

I saw a "slow down"sign at a vehicle crossing point the last time I was on there and on another note one of the two operators on the busway are withdrawing from November 11th, so there will only be one operator on there from then, unless they find another. 

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