Cambridgeshire County Council has pleaded guilty to two historic health and safety offences arising from the operation of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway.
Those are being prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Intention to take legal action against the local authority was announced by HSE in May 2023. Proceedings began 12 months later.
Charges brought by HSE relate to the deaths between 2015 and 2021 of Jennifer Taylor, Steven Moir, and Kathleen Pitts. Other incidents where individuals accessed the busway and were injured also form part of the case.
Mrs Taylor was killed in 2015 when crossing the busway. She was hit by a bus. Mr Moir fell from his bicycle into the path of a bus in 2018 after colliding with a kerb between the cycleway and the busway. Pedestrian Ms Pitts was also hit by a bus during 2021.
In announcing on 2 September that the council would plead guilty to the offences relating to the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, Chief Executive Dr Stephen Moir acknowledged that it holds a duty and responsibility “to uphold the highest standards of health and safety at work.”
Dr Moir accepts that during the period when the incidents in question occurred, “we fell far short of meeting these standards.” Pleading guilty is “an important and responsible decision” for the local authority, he continues. “In doing so, we fully acknowledge the serious historic failings on the part of the County Council, which we are now addressing.”
Current and future management of the Guided Busway will regularly be reviewed and updated, he adds. The necessary assurances will be in place “to enable us to provide this important, accessible and safe public transport system to the people of Cambridgeshire.”
In April 2023, the BBC reported that HSE had raised concerns over the ease of trespass onto the busway. Buses may travel at up to 50mph on some parts of the track, but elsewhere that maximum was reduced to 30mph following an independent safety report.
In 2023, Stagecoach East worked with Volvo to introduce Intelligent Speed Assistance to vehicles that use the busway. Via GPS and control of the throttle and gearbox retarder, it enforces reduced speed limits with no ability for drivers to override them.
