This information note covers the following meetings to be held at the British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge CB3 0ET:

CCAMLR Workshop on Spatial Management (WS-SM-18) from 2 to 6 July 2018 and
CCAMLR Working Group on Ecosystem Monitoring and Management (WG-EMM) from 9 to 13 July 2018.

Venue

The CCAMLR Spatial Management Workshop and the CCAMLR Working Group on Ecosystem Monitoring and Management will both be held in the Aurora Innovation Centre at the British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, UK.  This brand new, purpose-built facility was opened in July 2017 and offers state-of-the-art conference and meeting facilities.

Travel by car

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is located close to the M11 motorway, on the outskirts of Cambridge. There are a limited number of on-site parking spaces, however, additional parking is available close by at Madingley Road Park and Ride (£1 per day). The postcode for satnavs is CB3 0ET.

Travel by train

The nearest rail station is Cambridge. There are direct trains from London (King’s Cross Station and Liverpool Street Station) which take about one hour; and London Stansted. There is also a direct line from Norwich to Cambridge.

From Cambridge train station to BAS you can use the Universal bus (marked with a “U”) which runs between Eddington (the new north-west Cambridge site) and Addenbrookes via the Rail Station. Weekdays: 15 minute service 07:00 to 19:30; Saturdays: 20 minute service 08:00 to 18:30 (no Sunday service). For a route map see here. Tickets cost £2 single, £3 per day for unlimited use.

A taxi from Cambridge rail station to BAS costs around £25-30. There is also a Cycle Hire shop in the railway station car park.

Travel by coach/bus

The city centre bus station is on Drummer Street where most local services will depart from. National Express coaches from London and many other cities will stop at Parkside, approximately a five minute walk from Drummer Street.

The nearest bus station to BAS is the Madingley Road Park and Ride directly across the road from the British Antarctic Survey. Buses run every 10 minutes between here and the city centre bus station (£3 return). Cambridgeshire County Council provide a map of the park and ride route on their website.

As you leave the Park and Ride entrance on the right hand side, on foot, turn right onto Madingley Road, cross over the road and walk until you reach a gap in the fence directly behind a small lay-by, then walk directly ahead until you reach the BAS Entrance and Reception to your right — approximately in the centre of the east face of the building.

Travel by air

Cambridge is served by three major airports:

• London Stansted (the closest)
• London Heathrow
• London Gatwick (the furthest away).

From London Heathrow, Cambridge can be easily reached by rail, coach or taxi:

• there is no direct train to Cambridge, you must first travel to Kings Cross by either Heathrow Express or by London Underground (i.e. the Metro or Tube). From Kings Cross the train takes about 55 minutes and costs around £24 one way
• there are National Express coach services to Cambridge and a one way ticket costs around £10–£30
• a taxi from London Heathrow Airport to Cambridge will take around 120 minutes and cost about £109 if pre-booked; it will be very expensive if not pre-booked.

From London Stansted, Cambridge can be easily reached by rail, coach or taxi:

• there is a direct train to Cambridge, which takes 35 minutes and costs around £10 one way;
• there are National Express coach services to Cambridge and a one-way ticket costs around £10–£30;
• a taxi from London Stansted Airport to Cambridge will take around 40 minutes and will cost about £50 if pre-booked.

Accommodation

There is a wide variety of accommodation to suit all budgets within Cambridge, however, availability can be challenging at busy times of year, especially in the summer months. A full range of B&Bs, guest houses and hotels can be found online or through the usual booking websites, however, properties commonly used by visitors to BAS include:

• Rectory Farm - a short walk from BAS
• Madingley Hall  - relatively close to BAS for those with their own transport, however it is not on a public transport route
• Arundel House Hotel - central location in the city
• Felix Hotel – west Cambridge.

We have arranged for reductions in hotel rates with both the Arundel House Hotel and the Felix Hotel: to access the reduced rate please quote reference BASC010718 (Arundel House – email: info [at] arundelhousehotels [dot] co [dot] uk) or GA01039 (Felix – email: reservations [at] hotelfelix [dot] co [dot] uk).
The University also offers accommodation at various Colleges, on a ‘as available’ basis.

Registration

On the first day of each meeting, participants will enter Aurora through the front door and will register (passport required). Late arrival participants will need to register on the first day they attend the meeting.

Badges will be provided upon registration. Delegates must wear their badges at all times and return them after their last day of attendance.

Hospitality

During the meetings, morning and afternoon coffee will be provided.

There are no restaurants or coffee shops in the neighbourhood. The BAS canteen, the Icebreaker, will arrange for a light meal each day. To simplify arrangements, lunchtickets for each week (5 tickets) will be on sale at registration. Only cash sales in Sterling (GBP - £) will be possible.

Internet connection

Participants will have access to Wi-Fi connection in all the rooms of the venue.

Entry requirements

To enter the UK, participants will need a valid passport. Some participants may require a visa. You can check for visa information or contact the UK Embassy or Consulate in your country.

Currently, no vaccines or medical examinations are required for entering the UK.

Currency

The only valid currency in the UK is Sterling (GBP or £). Its equivalence to other currencies changes daily, so it is advisable to check its value before travelling.

Credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted at restaurants, hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants and petrol stations. Cash is needed to pay for taxis and some other services.

Moving around Cambridge

Taxis in Cambridge are expensive, and so far Uber is not available. However, the Universal bus (marked with a “U”) is easy to use. You can also hire bicycles, but remember that in the UK we use right-hand drive, so traffic is on the opposite side of the road to many other states.

Safety

The same primary safety precautions that apply to all big cities apply to Cambridge. Always use exchange houses or banks to change money, or use ATM machines which are available outside all banks.

The emergency number for Fire, Ambulance or Police is 999.

Health and Emergencies

Obtaining international health insurance is highly recommended.

Electricity

The electrical current in UK is 240V. We recommend that you bring a universal adapter.