Peterborough and Cambs authority recommends franchising

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s Transport and Infrastructure Committee has unanimously recommended bus franchising to Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. It suggests the franchising route is the best way to reform the region’s bus network.

The recommendation follows a review of findings in the area’s bus franchising consultation which concluded in November last year.

The Combined Authority Board is due to further review the report and consider its recommendation to the Mayor when it meets on 6 February 2025. Mayor Dr Johnson will decide whether to introduce bus franchising in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

More than 1,600 responses were submitted to The Combined Authority’s statutory bus franchising consultation, including from residents, businesses, and other groups and organisations. Running between 14 August and 25 November 2024, the consultation found there was substantial support for franchising, alongside some concerns raised.

Only 12% of respondents to the consultation opposed it franchising, while 63% supported it. Of those, 42% strongly supported, and 21% tended to support, while five percent tended to oppose and a further seven percent strongly opposed. 18 percent of responses neither supported nor opposed.

According to the Combined Authority, the consultation underscored the vital role buses play in connecting communities, supporting local economies and reducing social isolation. It also highlighted the risks of further service decline if effective reforms are not implemented.

Cllr Anna Smith, Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, said: “I’m delighted the Committee has unanimously supported this recommendation on a matter of such significance for our transport future. The consultation process was both inclusive and thorough, and the Committee has carefully considered all the feedback, leading to the unanimous decision to recommend bus franchising. Franchising offers the best opportunity to create a bus network that truly works for the people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, bringing the control, reliability and improvements we need to achieve our vision for buses and for transport. As many of our committee members pointed out, this is a very important moment in our work on bus reform, and I look forward to continuing the debate and hearing further views at the Combined Authority Board.”

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