Major news from the GCP on the proposed guided busway!
Find out more below
A statement from the GCP 25/08/23:
Rachel Stopard, chief executive of the GCP:
“Inflation and the impact it’s had on the price of goods and services has had a massive effect on the lives of us all – from the weekly shop to the cost of powering our homes, we have all felt the impact.
“Public and private sector organisations have also felt these financial pressures and across the country, budgets of major infrastructure projects have been crippled by soaring costs of materials and labour.
“Unfortunately, the GCP’s programme is not immune to these rising costs which is why we have spent the last few months scrutinising our budgets. We now face some tough decisions and will need to prioritise some of our transformative transport projects to ensure our communities realise the benefit of the City Deal.
“We are recommending to our members to pause phase two of the Cambridge South East Transport project and the Foxton Travel Hub. This was an incredibly difficult recommendation to put forward given the increasing congestion on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus combined with the ambition for future growth contained in the government’s recent ‘Cambridge 2040’ announcement.
“However, we need to make decisions based on the highest levels of certainty and that is why we propose to progress these schemes as far as we can so as and when more detailed growth plans and additional funding streams become available, they are ready to go.”
Stephen Partridge-Hicks, Chair of Better Ways for Busways (25/08/23):
”Following a presentation to 30+ councillors and members of the GCP on Wednesday 23rd, Better Ways for Busways! is delighted that on Friday 25th Aug the GCP announced its decision to reconsider its "unfit for purpose" busway through the South Cambs countryside.
The GCP's CSET scheme will cost approximately £100m more than the alternative proposed by BW4B!, will take years to complete and offers no benefit until the entire scheme has been completed. The GCP's scheme does significant environmental damage with three large bridges crossing the river Granta and Hobson's conduit, a huge carbon footprint and is not supported by local residents.
BW4B! alternative can be delivered in stages with significant cost savings, providing immediate benefits to both employers at CBC and users of the A1307. This alternative does minimal environmental harm and has the support of local residents. A petition run by Cambridge Past Present & Future has over 4,000 supporters in favour of BW4B!'s alternative. “
James Littlewood, CEO of Cambridge Past Present & Future (25/08/23):
“Better Ways for Busways! invites the GCP to start works immediately to reduce congestion on the A1307 by building the spur road from the Hinton way roundabout into CBC and installing traffic lights on the Babraham Research Campus roundabout. These works do not require a Transport & Works Act Order, or the public inquiry which would be the consequence of a T&WAO, so they can begin now. There is no benefit in "pausing" CSET while the GCP looks for an extra £100m+ from "other sources". After years of pointless delay it is finally time for the GCP to start some actual works to reduce congestion with a cost effective solution along the A1307.”
Stephen Partridge-Hicks, Chair of Better Ways for Busways (25/08/23):
If CSET is resurrected it would prevent the reinstatement of the Haverhill to Cambridge railway line which would provide stops at Linton, Granta Park, Sawston, & Cambridge South / CBC. Better ways for Busways! understand that the Mayor Nik Johnson has recently lent his support to reopening this valuable rail link, which also has the support of local residents and local MPs; Anthony Browne, Lucy Frazer & Matt Hancock.
BW4B! argues for alternatives to the GCPs CSET busway through the South Cambs countryside which offer significantly better value for money for high quality public transport.
Better Ways for Busways! is a single purpose, apolitical, campaign group supported by local Parish Councils, transport, environmental groups and local residents. See list of supporting organisations below.
Here is the Cambridge Independent article
If you have any questions, please get in contact at hello@bw4b.org
Page last edited: 08/10/23