Bus franchising in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough moves closer
A transport committee are backing a franchising plan, with the mayor’s final decision due next month
Plans to bring bus services in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough under public control have taken a step forward after a key recommendation from the region’s transport committee.
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) transport committee met today (24 January) to review the results of a public consultation on bus franchising. The committee voted unanimously to recommend franchising as the best way to improve the bus network.
Judith Barker, executive director of place and connectivity at CPCA, explained the decision at the meeting. “We had to look at each case and all the representations and concluded that, to deliver the strategic objectives and to deliver value for money within the funding envelope, the best way forward was to recommend franchising,” she said.
Currently, private companies run bus services in the region. They decide routes, timetables, fares, and how often buses run. Under the franchising model, the CPCA would take control of these decisions, and private companies would bid for contracts to run services.
The public consultation showed that 63% of respondents supported the franchising plan. Another 18% said they neither supported nor opposed it, while 14% were against the idea.
Councillor Angus Ellis from Peterborough City Council welcomed the committee’s decision. He said: “The clear majority is in favour of franchising. I’m really pleased that we’re in this position. We can now offer services that commercial operators can’t provide due to the nature of their businesses. It’s needs over profits, which is what we need.”
A report to the committee estimated that running the franchised bus network would cost £9.65 million per year. It would also require the CPCA to buy bus depots, with estimated costs of £31 million.
Mayor Dr Nik Johnson thanked the committee for their efforts and said: “I think long term, it’s going to be so important that we get this right for the whole of our populations across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.”
The committee suggested further steps to support the transition if franchising goes ahead. These include helping smaller operators bid for contracts, involving community transport groups in the process, and ensuring safety standards are based on best practices from other areas.
The mayor will make the final decision on the proposal in February.