New electric buses to run on expanded Universal bus route in Cambridge

New electric buses will operate on the Universal bus route in Cambridge and the service will be extended after the University of Cambridge agreed an eight-year contract with Whippet.

Serving students, staff and members of the public, the bus company will provide a new fleet of electric buses from July 2023.

The new routes are designed to better serve Girton College, Homerton College and Wolfson College.

Under the split service, half the Universal buses will serve Girton College at the northern end of the route, and half will be routed along Grange Road and Newnham Road to better serve Wolfson College, and some will return to Hills Road to connect with Homerton College and the Faculty of Education.

Route U is subsidised by the University of Cambridge but serves everyone It carries about

60,000 people per week, linking Eddington with West Cambridge, the city centre, the train station and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

The introduction of the electric service, replacing the existing diesel service, and the route extension was approved by the university’s planning and resources committee.

The £1 fare for University Card holders will be retained.

Prof David Cardwell, pro-vice-chancellor for strategy and planning, said: “We are delighted to announce that the Universal bus service will operate with a fleet of new electric buses from next year, and that the route will be extended so that students, staff and members of the public will also be able to use the service at Girton College, Homerton College and Wolfson College.

“Colleagues, in particular the university’s sustainability team, have worked hard on what are significant enhancements to the existing service, and have welcomed the positive working relationship they have had with student representatives, and their perspective on the service.

“The Universal bus is a pioneering initiative, and this new contract will support the university’s commitment to environmental sustainability, in particular sustainable business travel, as well as its work to meet the access requirements of all students.”

The announcement comes amid concern from many passengers about widespread Stagecoach East bus cuts, coming into force at the end of October.