The Combined Authority's statutory bus
franchising consultation – a key step towards reforming the bus
system in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough – saw more than 1,600
responses.
Residents, businesses, statutory
consultees and stakeholders took part in the consultation, which
ran between Wednesday 14 August and Monday 25 November 2024, to
have their say on the future of local bus services.
Now that the consultation has closed
the Combined Authority will compile and publish a report setting
out its response to the feedback. It will inform a decision by Dr
, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, on how to
reform buses across the area.
The Mayor's decision is currently
planned for early February 2025, however this date may be subject
to change.
Everyone was invited to participate in
a consultation which set out to be both comprehensive and
inclusive in its approach. As well as running online, the
consultation was held via face-to-face drop-in events in busy
locations across the region, such as town centres and bus stops
in Huntingdon, Ely, Peterborough, Northstowe, Wisbech, Cambridge
and St Neots.
More than 30 face-to-face events were
held, including a series of events specifically for statutory
consultees, so that people could talk to members of the
consultation team in person and ask any
questions.
The bus franchising consultation was
promoted in several ways including: social media, media, online,
advertising and radio, as well as posters and leaflets displayed
in a range of busy community and transport locations such as
libraries and bus stations. Online versions of the consultation
questionnaires were available on the dedicated website as well as
print versions to download and post back via a FREEPOST envelope.
Translated versions were produced in Polish, Lithuanian,
Portuguese and Urdu. Paper copies and large print versions were
also available.
Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough Combined Authority, Rob Bridge, said: “We would like
to thank everyone who got involved in the consultation over the
past few months to help improve bus services for all. We're
delighted that so many of you across the region took the
opportunity to share your views as part of this important
milestone on our Road to Better
Buses.”
The consultation compared two ways to
reform buses - a franchising solution and an Enhanced Partnership
approach. Under a franchised network, the Combined Authority
would contract bus operators to run services on its behalf but
have control over the routes, frequency, fares and overall
standards of the region's buses. An alternative Enhanced
Partnership solution, while producing benefits over the current
bus service, provides less control over the routes, frequency and
overall delivery of the services.
<</span>ENDS>
Notes to editors
-
The Combined Authority is moving towards implementing an
interim Enhanced Partnership to manage bus services until any
outcomes from the Combined Authority Board decision on bus
services (including any potential date for commencing
franchising if approved) can be
delivered.
