Plans to transform Haverhill to Cambridge transport services enters a period of consultation

People who regularly travel into Cambridge from the Haverhill direction, and beyond, can now share their views on ambitious proposals to transform the way people get around the city region.

The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) is asking people to have their say on changes which would create faster, cheaper, more reliable buses running from earlier in the day to later at night, as well as more investment in walking and cycling routes.

The GCP is proposing to transform the bus network with flat £1 or £2 fares and more buses to more locations – including new or more frequent services from the city’s railway stations, park and ride sites and places including Haverhill and Newmarket.

These changes would be paid for upfront by the GCP and phased in over four years before the proposed introduction of a Sustainable Travel Zone with a road user charge.

The zone would fund the bus network in the future and deliver the space needed for ambitious walking and cycling improvements.

The features of the London-style bus network and active travel improvements include:

n New bus routes, additional orbital and express services to key sites across the city, and a huge increase in services for villages and towns across the travel to work area.

n Longer operating hours from 5am to 1am and more frequent services - 6-8 buses every hour in the city and from market towns, and hourly rural buses.

n Flat fares to make public transport cheap and accessible for all; with passengers paying £1 to travel in the city and £2 in the travel to work area.

n Options for new cycling routes in the city and connections between villages and the wider active travel network, including the 12 Greenways routes, among them Linton.

All vehicle movements into, out of and within the proposed Sustainable Travel Zone (STZ) would pay a flat daily charge between 7am and 7pm on weekdays.

There would be discounts, exemptions and reimbursements for some, including those on low incomes and blue badge holders.

The money generated by the zone, which would not be fully introduced until 2027/28, would be ringfenced to provide better buses and other improvements to the transport network.

Cllr Elisa Meschini, chair of the GCP’s Executive Board, said: “Shaped by extensive consultation over many years, the proposals out to public consultation would be one of the largest investments in a UK bus network to transform the daily journeys for commuters and visitors to the city.

“We want to create a London-style service with more cheap buses to more locations and faster, more frequent services across the region.

"Alongside this are proposals for more walking and cycling links, better cycle parking, and the repurposing of public space to create a city that prioritises people over cars.

“This would cut car journeys in half, double bus services, create space for cyclists and walking. Cambridge would also have cleaner air and safer spaces for everyone who lives, works and visits our wonderful city region and all the opportunities it offers.

“With the City Deal in place to pay for these improvements up front, we have a once in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform how we travel around Greater Cambridge. I encourage everyone who travels in and around the area to engage with the proposals online or through public events and have your say.”

The package has been developed following extensive public consultation over many years and would result in 20,000 extra journeys made by bus. An additional 60,000 trips would be made by active travel every day to create a greener city region for all.

The scheme would also cut the number of car trips in Cambridge by 50 per cent and reduce carbon emissions from transport by about five per cent.

The City Access package is central to the GCP’s integrated transport network – providing the thread that links together the GCP’s busways, active travel schemes and plans to provide 10,000 additional Park and Ride spaces around the city region.

To view the proposals and have your say visit the Consult Cambs webpage

The ten-week consultation closes at midday on December 23.

The GCP will be holding public meetings and drop-in sessions – both in person and online – as well as attending community events, transport hubs and popular employment and leisure hubs around the region to listen to people’s views.

The findings will be used to put together a detailed Business Case that would be put to the GCP’s Executive Board next year to decide whether to go ahead with the proposals and consider the timeline to implementing each part of the scheme.

Cambridgeshire County Council, as the Highway Authority, has ultimate responsibility for any proposals around charging policies and would make the final decision.