Bus driver shocked to find cyclist riding on guided busway in Cambridge at night without lights
A bus driver managed to slow down in time after spotting a cyclist riding along the guided busway track at night without lights, the Cambridge Independent has learned.
The cyclist was riding towards Addenbrooke’s Hospital when the Whippet bus driver, heading in the same direction, spotted him. The cyclist carried on, with the bus following slowly behind, before leaving the track near the hospital.
A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “There was an incident on Saturday night when the driver of a guided bus heading towards Addenbrooke’s Hospital noticed a cyclist riding on the busway track – without lights – in the same direction.
“It is an offence to trespass on the guided busway track.
“Fortunately, the driver saw the cyclist in time and managed to slow down to avoid a collision, after which the bus followed the cyclist at a slow speed until the cyclist left the busway track near Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
“The bus was then able to continue its journey. The busway was not closed at any point.”
This stretch of the busway has a 30mph limit.
A spokesperson for Whippet told the Cambridge Independent: “We at Whippet are very proud of the way our driver handled this dangerous situation and urge all cyclists to take appropriate safety measures when riding. Not doing so puts them, our drivers, and our passengers at risk.”
Some of the later Whippet buses did not run on the busway after the incident.
“Our driver was very distraught after the situation, and he requested to terminate the service at that time, as he felt unable to continue,” explained the spokesperson.
