This September, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) is proudly backing Catch the Bus Month, a national campaign to get us all ditching the car and hopping aboard the humble bus. The idea is solid: buses keep communities moving, connect towns and villages, and give us greener, cheaper ways to travel. So far, so good.
But in a classic case of “route planning gone wrong,” the CPCA’s big promotional push has sent would-be bus trippers off to places they can’t actually visit.
Among the Authority’s “must-see” destinations?
- Peterborough Lido – which, small snag, has already shut for the season. Swimmers will need to wait until summer 2026 before they can actually make a splash.
- Wisbech Castle – a fine historic site, except it only opens to the public a couple of times a year. The next chance to get inside might be months away, by which time the campaign will be long forgotten.
Even the “open” suggestions are a bit wobbly. The list trumpets Ely Cathedral – a magnificent building, no doubt – but omits the equally majestic Peterborough Cathedral, which unlike Ely is free to enter. Travellers lured by Ely’s Gothic spires should also bring their wallets: admission will set an adult back £14.
The blunder is a pity, because Catch the Bus Month is meant to showcase the best of local bus travel. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are rolling out serious initiatives like £1 “Tiger Pass” fares for under-25s and the new Tiger on Demand services to make public transport easier than ever.
But instead of “Catch the Bus to Adventure,” this year’s campaign risks becoming “Catch the Bus to a Locked Gate.”
So, if you’re planning a bus-powered day out, may we suggest a few alternatives that are both open and affordable?
- Peterborough Cathedral – free, spectacular, and open year-round.
- Wisbech & Fenland Museum – home to Dickens’ Great Expectations, open four days a week, annual pass a mere fiver.
- Peterborough Museum – where you can explore collections spanning over 150 million years of the city’s fascinating history, environment and culture. And, until November 2, enjoy Adventures in Time & Space – an unofficial Doctor Who exhibition
Catch the bus by all means – just double-check your destination isn’t locked up when you get there.
THIS WAS THE LIST PUT OUT BY THE COMBINED AUTHORITY
Looking for days out this #CatchTheBusMonth?
You don’t need the car — here are some amazing places you can reach by bus:
Ely Cathedral – Served by the 9, operated by A2B
Cambridge University Botanic Garden – Easy to get to with Whippet Coaches Universal bus
Wisbech Castle – Just a short walk from Horse Fair Bus Station
Gamlingay Cinques The Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northants – Explore nature with Tiger on Demand in South Cambs
Vivacity Peterborough Lido – Catch the 4 or 61 with Stagecoach
Hamerton Zoo – Hop on the DEWS Coaches 401 from Huntingdon or book with Tiger on Demand in West Hunts
“Skip the stress of driving, save money, and discover more with the bus” the authority urged.
