Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info

CambridgeshireLive readers have been reacting to new speed limits and fencing plans on the guided busway. Many raised concerns about delays, costs, and safety, while others offered suggestions on how to expedite the work.

The speed limit along the Cambridgeshire guided busway has been reduced from 30mph to 20mph at crossing points. The 20mph limit is expected to be in place until the end of 2026.

Last week, Stagecoach East expressed "extreme disappointment", stating they had been given "short notice" for the changes.

However, a Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson refuted this claim in a statement released on Friday (October 3), saying: "We're disappointed by the criticism from Stagecoach East, saying they've not been given enough time to prepare for the temporary speed reduction on the guided busway.

"This is not true. We've been engaging with the bus operators throughout the introduction of further measures. We spoke to them specifically about the speed limit three weeks ago and reached an agreement with the operators around the planned speed reduction before it was announced.

"We have been working hard, in partnership with the bus operators and our contractors, to ensure that the new fencing is installed in the best way. As a result, we've made changes to the way we're carrying out the work to try and minimise the disruption by installing the fencing with one lane of the busway remaining open."

Work is set to commence on the installation of new fencing from Sunday (October 12).

Several readers challenged the 20mph limit. One reader, Calumen Nomen comments: "So ordinary buses on ordinary roads can run at up to 60 mph, but specially expensive buses using specially expensive track which are unavailable to any other vehicle can only do 20? Gosh. Be interesting to see if our Council installs any more of them. I mean, you'd have to be judgmentally unsound, wouldn't you?"

Oldgreenman agrees: "I agree this is senseless, following the logic of safety fences along the busway we need fences to separate ALL PAVEMENTS AND CYCLE PATHS from buses and other traffic. This safety measure is inconsistent with logic and cost."

John037 says: "Have they not issued timetables and other publications, which will of course have to be reprinted at great expense to the ratepayers, all because the staff employed by the council have found yet another mistake of their own making, and now have to correct it, all at our expense of course."

Penelope3 remarks: "Not going to be finished till the end of 2026! Crikey the Berlin Wall went up quicker. Every time the Council are doing any maintenance on roads etc in this City or County it takes months and months and months. Mind you the quality of work you see happening during and after, isn't the best quality for money being paid by the taxpayers."

Jdtaylor suggests: "I would suggest closing large sections of the busway get the work done. Then move on allowing faster speeds. I think for Huntington the t1 will be heavily used or require another bus during these works."

While over on our Facebook page, Ken Dolling adds: "Need this type of transport between March and Wisbech. With a cycle lane and foot paths."

Vicky Aldred writes: "It's total madness to make public transport much worse at the same time that parking restrictions in Cambridge are coming into effect. The busway issue clearly affects safety and must be prioritised, but the plans to remove on-street parking in several Cambridge streets should surely be postponed to compensate."

Dave Way states: "Council incompetence at its best. It was idiotic to decide to put unnecessary fencing along the busway in the first place (at an obscene cost to the taxpayer) and equally idiotic to impose such a ridiculously low speed limit. Their next move will probably be to have someone with a red flag walking in front of the buses and, presumably apply the same naive logic to all roads on their patch which have a pavement or cycle path running alongside them."

Do you agree with the new speed limits and fencing? Comment below or HERE to join in the debate.