Haverhill bus services brought back just two weeks after being withdrawn following a wave of protest

Just two weeks after it cut some buses connecting Haverhill and Cambridge, Stagecoach East has bowed to public pressure and done a u-turn by reinstating them.

On October 30 the bus operator withdrew its ‘unsustainable’ X13, 13A, 13B and 13C services, while the 13 service’s route was revised to provide what Stagecoach said was a direct and faster link between Haverhill and Cambridge.

However, the changes resulted in commuters, students, and NHS staff at Addenbrooke's not being able to get a bus or seeing buses that previously passed near their homes no longer doing so because of the changes.

With public disquiet rising Stagecoach announced a raft of changes on Monday.

David Boden, business development director for Stagecoach East, said: “We are delighted to introduce these changes to our 13 and 131 services in Cambridgeshire, to provide passengers on these routes with additional capacity, reduced journey time and improved frequency.

“We are constantly listening to passenger feedback, and looking for ways to enhance our services to respond directly to the travel needs of local people.”

"We are dedicated to providing a bus network that is reliable, affordable and convenient to keep communities connected and enable local people to do their bit for the environment by taking the bus.”

The changes will be made in two phases, with the first phase already introduced to the 13 service:

n Two additional Monday-Friday morning journeys will operate from Haverhill Bus Station to Cambridge at 7am and 8am

n Two additional afternoon Monday-Friday journeys will operate from Drummer Street Bus Station in Cambridge to Haverhill at 3.30pm and from Addenbrooke’s to Haverhill at 4,15pm.

Further enhancements to the 13 service will then be introduced on Sunday, November 27 and will include:

n The X13 express service will be reinstated at peak morning and afternoon times, providing the following departure times:

n 7am, 7.30am and 8am direct to Cambridge

n 3pm, 3.30pm, 4.30pm and 5pm direct to Haverhill

n 4.15 pm direct to Haverhill, departing direct from Addenbrooke's.

n An enhanced 15 minute frequency from Haverhill Bus Station from 6.15am through to 8am and from 2.45pm through until 5.45pm from Cambridge. This is a combined frequency offered by routes 13 and X13.

n Reinstate the two morning journeys on route 13 towards Cambridge and all journeys towards Haverhill after 7.30pm via Cambridge Rail Station, to provide better transport links.

Stagecoach East has also unveiled amends to the current 131 service.

From November 27, a new 131A service will operate counter clockwise to serve Arrendene.

The current 131 route will operate clockwise via Chimswell and both services will operate through Chivers. This will provide residents in these areas with a direct service between the villages and Sainsburys at hugely reduced journey time, compared to the service’s original route which travelled one way around the loop.

For more information on the amended timetables, please visit: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/east/east-bus-network