Bus services in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are set to be transformed and everyone across the region is being invited to have their say.

Members of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Board met today (Wednesday 24th July) where they discussed a report about bus reform and the potential pathways for improving bus services for local communities.

Following the discussion, they approved the Bus Reform Assessment (also known as the Business Case) and have agreed to hold a formal franchising consultation which will enable residents, businesses, stakeholders and statutory consultees to share their views.

A robust assessment of the region’s transport needs was carried out by independent transport consultant, ITP, in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Transport Act 2000. The assessment, which has also been through an independent audit process, outlined two approaches in its feasibility study and outline business case assessment for bus reform; a Franchising solution and an Enhanced Partnership (EP).

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. This means, as a result, while both an Enhanced Partnership and Franchising can provide enhanced networks, franchising offers the region more control to specify the desired network, levels of service and integrated fares and ticketing, ensuring a more unified and accessible network.

Franchising also allows the Combined Authority to deliver its strategic objectives, according to the Bus Reform Assessment; to have full influence over outcomes and the efficient delivery of bus service improvements to passengers and bus network changes. The EP is less likely to deliver the strategic outcomes as it leaves key decisions around the network in the hands of bus operators (as per the status quo) with any outcomes subject to negotiations with operators.

The franchising consultation will take place online and in person (via a series of drop-in events) over 14 weeks. Due to launch in August, it will run until November 2024 and will inform a decision by the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough on whether to introduce bus franchising as a different way to run buses across the area.

Chief Executive of the Combined Authority, Rob Bridge, said: “We recognise just how important buses are as part of our wider transport and connectivity plans, which is why we believe the way the region’s buses are run needs to change. We want to address the current challenges, which include the performance of local bus services. I would like to encourage everyone to get involved in the consultation. We are especially keen to hear from those who rely on the bus to get from A to B and those who would benefit from the bus in the future for their education, employment and leisure transport needs.”

The consultation is the next step on the Combined Authority’s Road to Better Buses strategy* to improve bus services for everyone in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

More details on how people can get involved will be made available before the consultation starts.

*In March 2023, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority launched ‘The Road to Better Buses’ strategy, which sets out five key ambitions for buses in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough:

Read the report to the Combined Authority Board https://democracy.cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/documents/s748/Bus%20Reform.pdf