Venue

Garden at Robinson College

IBA 2009 is being held at West Road concert Hall, Cambridge.

West Road Concert Hall is one of Cambridge’s premiere venues. Ideally situated only minutes’ walk from the famous Cambridge Backs and King’s College; it has the advantage of being housed within the University’s Faculty of Music, providing a variety of meeting rooms and a spacious, light and versatile foyer area.

Although Rutherford was at Manchester when the first Backscattering Experiment was conducted he moved soon after to Cambridge where he became the head of the Cavendish Laboratory. The conference venue is 15 minutes walk from the current site of the Cavendish Laboratory and it's associated museum. Conference delegates will have the opportunity to look around both during their stay at the conference.

There is much to do and see in Cambridge and it is worth a visit to the Official Cambridge tourism website for more information.

Map of West Road

Accommodation

Accommodation is offered nearby at Robinson College - the newest College in Cambridge, founded in 1981, which is just a short walk away from West Road Concert Hall. There are three types of room available: Single Ensuite (£70prpn), Single Standard - one bathroom shared between two rooms (£60 prpn) and Twin Ensuite - two single beds in one room (£90prpn). All rooms are paid for on a per room per night basis. If you wish to book this accommodation, please select it on the registration form when you register. Any queries regarding registration can be sent to Jon Mackew (jon.mackew_AT_iop.org)

*Unfortunately all twin rooms have now been booked. We can not offer any more double occupation rooms at Robinson College. If you wish to share a twin or double room, please find alternate hotel accommodation in one of Cambridge’s many hotels*

All rooms are centrally heated and have radio alarm clocks as well as a tea/coffee making tray with mineral water. Beds are made with duvets in covers; bath and hand towels are provided as well as a complimentary vanity pack.

We are aware that this conference is run while Ramadan is on. We can provide a ‘packed’ breakfast of yogurt, fruit, dried fruit, nuts, orange juice for those requiring them. Please make sure note on the registration form if you require one of these breakfasts.

All bedrooms have internet access via an ethernet network. Delegates will need to provide their own laptop computer and may then use the College wired internet connections for no additional charge.

If you wish to book accommodation elsewhere, Cambridge has a number of hotels. Below are listed a number of hotels that you might want to consider. For the best rates and availability, you may find it useful to use a hotel search engine such as Expedia, Travel Supermarket or Lastminute.com.

Possible hotel accommodation in Cambridge (this list is in no particular order and is by no means exhaustive):

Royal Cambridge Hotel
Doubletree by The Hilton
University Arms Hotel
Arundel House Hotel
Regent Hotel
Cityroomz Hotel
Hotel Felix
Crowne Plaza
Holiday Inn Hotel in Cambridge

Directions to West Road

By Air

The nearest international airports to Cambridge are: Stansted, Luton, London City, Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham International. After immigration and customs clearance, you will find several modes of ground transport to your accommodation.

London Stansted Airport

This is the closest major airport, about 25 miles from Cambridge (40 minutes by car). It is well served by airlines flying from European destinations. For flight information try the BAA Stansted website or contact the airlines directly (budget airlines easyJet and Ryanair operate direct flights to Stansted from many European airports).

Cambridge is within easy reach by rail, coach or taxi. The railway station is part of the terminal. The services to Cambridge are operated by Central Trains and take about 30 minutes. The service operates seven days a week, the first train departing at 05:27 Monday to Friday, 05:21 on Saturday and 10:19 on Sunday). The last direct train to Cambridge departs at 20:20 Monday to Friday, 20:51 on Saturday and 22:19 on Sunday. If you arrive outside these hours, you can take the Liverpool Street train and change at Bishops Stortford for Cambridge (some trains do not stop at Bishops Stortford). This may involve a wait of 30 to 60 minutes in which case it is then better to take the coach (see below). The times of trains between Stansted Airport and Cambridge can be found from the National Rail web site.

The coach services to Cambridge run once per hour, and take about 50 minutes. Tickets can be purchased from the coach ticket desk in the arrivals area of the terminal or on the coach.

London Heathrow Airport

Many airlines fly to London Heathrow. The easiest way to get to Cambridge is to take a direct coach service. The coach runs at least once per hour, see the National Express web site and takes at least 2.5 hours to reach Cambridge (often much longer, depending on traffic jams).

A fast train service, the Heathrow Express, connects the airport with London Paddington station. From there use the underground to connect with rail or coach services listed above to reach Cambridge.

The airport is also served by the Picadilly line of the underground which will take you directly (in about one hour) to Kings Cross station, from which the fast trains to Cambridge depart (see instructions above.

London Gatwick Airport

This airport is located to the south of London. A direct train service, Thameslink, connects the airport with Kings Cross station, offering a good view of London from the Thames. From Kings Cross follow the instructions above. There is also a fast train service, the Gatwick Express, to London's Victoria station. From there, use the underground (Victoria line, northbound) to reach Kings Cross. Alternatively, coach services run directly from Victoria coach station (next to the railway station) to Cambridge.

There is also a direct National Express coach service to Cambridge that takes around 4 hours, but the coaches go round the M25 and are vulnerable to traffic jams and serious delay.

London Luton Airport

Some budget airlines (e.g. easyJet) use Luton airport, which is about 35 miles from Cambridge. No intercontinental flights operate from Luton. Contact the Luton Airport web site for a list of operating companies.

There is no efficient train connection from Luton airport to Cambridge, but there is a National Express coach service that runs once every two hours, departing from just outside the terminal building. It takes about 1.5 hours to reach Cambridge.

London City Airport

The City airport is located very close to the centre of London. It serves major european cities. See the London City Airport web site for details. There is a shuttle bus from the airport that connects with the underground network.

Train from the continent

London can be reached from Paris or Brussels by the Eurostar train which uses the channel tunnel. You will arrive at London Waterloo station. Use the underground to reach Kings Cross station (Bakerloo line, northbound until Oxford Circus, then Victoria line northbound), and follow the directions above.

Driving from the continent

It is also easy to drive from Europe to the UK, including taking your car by train through the channel tunnel. There are frequent ferry services between Calais and Dover with SeaFrance and P&O Stena line, as well as other boat connections from France, Belgium, Holland and Ireland, see for example here. Many of these routes have train connections to London or directly to Cambridge.

Each airport has a dedicated website providing further details about transport and customs:

By Car

From Junction 12 of the M11, drive for approx 1.5 miles into Cambridge (Barton Road). Turn left opposite the Hat and Feathers pub (Grange Road). Take the third righthand turn opposite the Rugby Club (West Road). It's half way along the right hand side of West Road.

By Train

Trains run regularly to Cambridge from both London King’s Cross and London Liverpool Street. If you are coming from the North, it is advisable to change at Peterborough. West Road is a 10 to 15 minute taxi ride from the railway station.

Park and Ride

Cambridgeshire County Council run a ‘Park & Ride’ service from Madingley Road, just off Junction 13 of the M11 to the West of Cambridge. Take the Citi 4 bus (which runs from Monday to Friday) and alight at the stop entitled ‘West Road University Library’, which is approximately 50 metres from our front door. For more information visit the County Council's Park and Ride listings.

Parking

Visiting by Car? View the City Council's information on parking in Cambridge.

Parking in Cambridge is neither easy nor advisable.

Maps and suggestions on how best to travel to Cambridge can be found here.

Delegates are able to use the car park at the Wilberforce Road Sports Ground. The Ground is only some 500 yards from the Porters' Lodge of Robinson College and provides ample car parking space. A location map is attached.

View map (JPG, 163 KB)

Neither the Institute of Physics, The College nor the Sports Ground accept responsibility or liability in respect of loss or damage to any property, including motor cars and items left in motor cars, brought onto the parking area by or on behalf of any persons.
For security reasons please display your sticker in an obvious position.

View Parking Permit

The entrance to the car park is on the corner of Adams Road and Wilberforce Road. Once inside the Sports Ground please follow the signs to the parking area. The main entrance to Robinson College is at the corner of Grange Road and Herschel Road.

How to get to Robinson College

Robinson is situated in Grange Road, close to the centre of Cambridge. Grange Road runs between Barton Road and Madingley Road and is parallel to Queens' Road (the 'Backs').

The best way to approach the College by road from the north, south or east is from Junction 12 of the M11

From Junction 12 of the M11, the A603 towards Cambridge

Take the A603 (Barton Road) towards Cambridge.
Pass Wolfson College on the left.
About 1.5 miles from the M11 you will reach the traffic lights of a pedestrian crossing. Grange Road is the turning on the left, directly after this pedestrian crossing, opposite the Hat and Feathers public house.
Once in Grange Road you will pass the CU Rugby Club on the left.
The road narrows slightly immediately before the next turning on the left which is Herschel Road. Robinson College is the new redbrick college 0.5 miles along Grange Road on the left, on the corner of Grange Road and Herschel Road.

From the North (A14)

From the M6/M1 (Junction 19) interchange join the A14 (signposted to Kettering).
Follow the A14 past Kettering and Huntingdon towards Cambridge.
From the A1 at Brampton join the A14 (signposted for Stansted and Cambridge).
Follow the A14 and signs for Cambridge.
Get in lane for the M11 once you have passed the exit for Dry Drayton, Oakington and Cottenham. (M11 is outside and middle lanes.)
Join the M11 following the signs for Stansted.
Leave the motorway at the next exit, Junction 12.
Take the A603 in the direction of Cambridge (to the left).
Follow the directions from the M11, Junction 12, as shown above.

From the East (A14 from Newmarket)
Avoid the city centre

From the East (A14 from Newmarket).
Follow the northern by-pass to join the M11.
The exit for the M11 is after the junction for the B1049. It is signposted 'M11 London (A10), North, A1, Midlands'.
Once you have taken this exit, STAY IN THE LEFT HAND LANE and join the M11.
Leave the motorway at the next exit, Junction 12.
Take the A603 in the direction of Cambridge (to the left).
Follow the directions from the M11, Junction 12, as shown above.

From the South (A10)

At the signpost 'M11 The North, Huntingdon (A14), Bedford (A428), Ely (A10)' turn left and join the M11.
Leave the motorway at the next exit, Junction 12 signposted 'Cambridge, Sandy and the A603'.
Take the A603 in the direction of Cambridge (to the right).
Follow the directions from the M11, Junction 12, as shown above.

From the West (A428 from Bedford)

Along the A428 from Bedford and St Neots take the exit for the A1303, signposted for the M11 London.
Passing the American Cemetery on the left, continue straight on at the traffic lights.
Pass the turning for the M11 to London on your right.
At the next traffic lights the Madingley Road 'Park and Ride' is on your left, continue straight on.
Pass High Cross on your right and Madingley Rise (Observatory) on your left.
There are a set of traffic lights at a pedestrian crossing. Immediately after these get into the right hand lane.
Turn right into Grange Road at the next set of traffic lights.
Once in Grange Road pass Clarkson Road on your right and continue for about 0.5 mile.

Robinson College is the new redbrick college 0.4 miles down Grange Road on the right, situated between Adams Road and Herschel Road.

Here are two links to a good route planners:

The AA - great for motorists
Multimap - great for pedestrians (select Get Directions, then Walking)

The postcode for Robinson College is CB3 9AN.

^ To the top ^