The University bus for everyone

The University of Cambridge is committed to developing and improving our sustainable transport initiatives for staff, students and the local community, to reduce emissions and improve connectivity across our sites. 

The University identified the need to establish our own bus service due to the limitations of existing public transport in Cambridge. Most existing local bus routes are designed to bring passengers into the city centre from the outskirts, making them inconvenient for travel between University sites, which are mainly located in the south, centre, and west of the city.  

As part of planning requirements for new buildings, refurbishments and major developments such as Cambridge West and Eddington, we were expected to contribute to the local authority to fund public transport improvements. In response, it was agreed that providing a dedicated University bus service would be a more effective and direct alternative to financial contributions. From the outset, our Universal bus service (U-bus) was made available to the public, not just students and staff, setting it apart from typical university-operated transport systems. 

Ahead of the latest bus service contract being tendered in 2019, a public consultation was held to gather feedback and suggestions for improvement. More than 3,000 responses were received, helping to build the case for introducing electric buses as well as altering and extending the service route to better meet community needs. 

Community engagement to inform service delivery 

Community engagement was central to the project’s delivery, with the public consultation acting as the primary method of involving local stakeholders. The launch event for the new bus service included representatives from the wider community, including the Mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, a member of the Greater Cambridge Partnership Board, and interest groups such as the Cambridge Area Bus Users. 

Since its launch in 2003, our U-bus has played a vital role in improving transport connectivity across Cambridge. In its first year, the service carried 251,870 passengers, with 62% of those being University staff and students, and 38% being members of the public, including residents, tourists, and city visitors. 

The Covid-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for public transport, with bus use falling sharply across the country. While many local services were reduced or suspended, the University made a deliberate decision to maintain the full Universal Bus service schedule. This was driven by the need to continue serving Addenbrooke’s Hospital, ensuring that key workers and essential staff had reliable transport throughout the crisis. In 2021, despite challenging conditions, the U-bus continued to operate at 15-minute intervals, but with 50% occupancy to ensure social distancing. That year, the service carried 223,102 passengers. 27% of which were University staff and students, and 73% were members of the public.  

Securing approval for route expansions and the transition to an all-electric fleet also brought its own challenges. These improvements required a significantly larger financial commitment. A strong case was made, supported by steadily increasing passenger numbers and the high proportion of public users. The consistent growth in ridership year on year demonstrated the wider value of the service. 

A new fully-electric bus service for all

In 2023, we launched a fully electric Universal bus service. After its first year, the all-electric fleet saw a 5% increase in usage, with over 720,000 passenger journeys made. User satisfaction rose by 9%, with notable improvements in service reliability, user information, and bus cleanliness. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with just 60 complaints in the first nine months, equal to one complaint per 9,450 passengers.  Listening to feedback enables us to continually improve our service delivery. 

By 2024, ridership had reached 751,580, nearly three times as much as 2003. Importantly, the passenger demographic had changed: 62% of riders were now members of the public, and 33% were University staff and students. This reversal in the original passenger split is likely a result of the shift towards hybrid and remote working among University employees as well as increased public uptake. 

Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, we anticipate continued growth, with a projected 1.3% increase in passenger numbers, equal to approximately 10,000 additional trips. 

The Universal bus is a fully electric bus service that runs between Eddington and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus via West Cambridge, the city centre (Queens College, Silver Street) and Cambridge rail station. 

Our commitment to sustainable transport extends to residential communities. Eddington is our newly developed sustainable community in North West Cambridge, designed with environmental sustainability at the forefront, with renewable energy systems, rainwater harvesting, innovative waste management and sustainable transport infrastructure throughout. In June 2024, Eddington's residential travel plan received a ‘very good’ rating from the national travel plan accreditor, Modeshift STARS, at our Sustainability Showcase. This follows the 'Good' rating awarded to the University's Primary School in 2022. The University's Environmental Sustainability Team reported that in 2023, 79% of Eddington’s residents use sustainable commuting methods such as cycling, walking and public transport, and 76% of students at the Primary School choose low-carbon options to travel to school. Through initiatives such as the Cycle Loan scheme, cycle training, the Universal Bus and parking management, we continue to support Eddington as it develops into a sustainable community. 

For more details of how to access the service, staff can access Travel by Bus on our Environmental Sustainability Hub and members of the public can access information on the Whippet website.