Mayor Dr Nik Johnson signalled the biggest improvement to bus services across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in a generation. He will use the £11m raised by his mayoral precept at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CAPCA) to introduce 30 major changes in all parts of the county to encourage better use of buses.
The detailed list of proposals – for Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland and Peterborough – will be considered by the CAPCA board tomorrow (Wednesday).
If, as expected, the precept is approved it will, for example, create an express link between Cambridge and Huntingdon, a new service between Ely and Longstanton Park and Ride, a new Soham to Cambridge service and a new service connecting Christchurch to Wisbech and Downham Market, and a new Chatteris to Manea rail station service.
Peterborough to March services will be improved with extensions to Chatteris and Ely, and later evening journeys to Whittlesey.
In Peterborough improved orbital services are promised together with a better frequency of services through Thorney and Eye.
Dr Johnson believes the tax is fair and offers “a good distribution for the whole of the area”.
FULL LIST OF CHANGES/IMPROVEMENTS
CAMBRIDGE
1: Express service linking Cambridge and Huntingdon with the potential to extend to Alconbury Weald. A draft route and timetable will follow. This could also serve Fenstanton and is a cross area service on a key corridor of growth.
2: New orbital bus service to key destinations around Cambridge, avoiding journeys into the centre and need to change buses. CAPCA will develop key destinations and indicative routing that works best for connecting local communities.
3: Busway – higher frequencies Trumpington to Rail Station and Addenbrookes. CAPCA will engage with incumbent operator to assess options for improvements.
4: Extension of Route 18 to Parkside and increase in frequency across whole route. The aim is to develop options with existing timetable.
5: Restoration of a direct link from Histon Road to Addenbrooke’s.
EAST CAMBRIDGESHIRE
6: Develop additional Ely Zipper service providing an enhanced link between Sutton and Ely via villages in between, while also exploring a link to Mepal. Could be incorporated as part of other enhancements, including new service Ely – Longstanton.
7: New service between Ely and Longstanton Park & Ride, via Witchford, Sutton, Earith and Willingham. Could incorporate Ely Zipper proposal.
8: New service between Soham and Cambridge, via Burwell, Swaffham Prior, Swaffham Bulbeck and Bottisham.
9: Improvements on B1102 corridor with interconnections to access different parts of Cambridge and other centres to which people travel.
10: New Demand Responsive Transport trial. Collaborating with the community to define a service zone that offers maximum coverage to rural communities. Development will focus on Isleham and Little Downham and wider communities and be considered alongside scheduled services to identify gaps.
FENLAND
11: 68 (Wisbech) Enhanced days and hours of operation, plus extending route to include Morrisons, including a consideration of a Saturday service
12: 31/33 Later evening journeys to Whittlesey (also serving Amazon and McCains)
13: New service connecting Christchurch to Wisbech and Downham Market. Engagement with incumbent operator on Route 60.
14: New service between Chatteris – Manea rail station – Christchurch – Wisbech, co-ordinated with train times at Manea. Develop draft route and timetable – Chatteris to Wisbech via Christchurch and Manea.
15: Enhancement on Peterborough to March route with extension to Chatteris and Ely.
16: Improvements to Chatteris – March – Whittlesey – Wisbech corridor. Assess existing contracts and commercial services to develop improvements
17: New Demand Responsive Transport trial. Collaborating with the community to define a service zone that offers maximum coverage to rural communities. Development work to commence
HUNTINGDONSHIRE
18: Provide a link between Fenstanton and Huntingdon railway station. Fenstanton could be incorporated into express service options linking Cambridge and Huntingdon Develop draft route and timetable
19: Route 66 – improve frequency between Huntingdon and St Neots. Engagement with incumbent operator to assess options for improvements and investigate potential for easier connections to Cambridge.
20: To enhance frequency of service between Ramsey and Huntingdon and provide interchange with service operating between St Ives and March at Warboys. Continued refinement of timetable in partnership with community representatives and tender of revised services.
21: X2/X3 Huntingdon – Cambridge – Addenbrooke’s. Engagement with incumbent operator to assess options for improvements.
22: 904 Improve frequency and earlier and later journeys. Engagement with incumbent operator to assess options for improvements. Additionally investigate the potential of extending the route to serve Folksworth
PETERBOROUGH
23: Options for orbital bus services to key destinations around Peterborough, avoiding journeys into the centre and the need to change buses. Define key destinations and how these can be linked taking into account lessons learnt from Route 29.
24: Improve service frequency through Thorney and improve service to Eye with improvements. Work with incumbent operator to increase frequency of services via Thorney and look at options for Eye.
25: Route 5 – improve service frequencies.
SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE
26: Integrate 1A and 5A services between Bar Hill, Swavesey and St Ives and enhanced frequencies.
27: Route 4 – Improve frequency Cambourne to Cambridge and investigate expansion of service to North East Cambridge.
28: Route 8 – improve frequency. More direct route and expansion to Rampton. Engagement with incumbent operator to assess options for improvements
29: X13 Haverhill to Cambridge – increase frequency. Engagement with incumbent operator to assess options for improvements.
30: New Demand Responsive Transport trial. Collaborating with the community to define a service zone that offers maximum coverage to rural communities. Development work to commence.
