Opposition County Councillors raise concerns over project management of busway construction

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Cambridgeshire County Councillors approved the motion to submit an application for a new busway from Waterbeach to Cambridge on behalf of the Greater Cambridge Partnership

I wrote about this just over a week ago here. I assumed the motion would pass without much comment so was a little surprised to hear some of the criticisms coming from councillors in the southern half of the county.

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**This development supports Waterbeach New Town which will create 11,000 new homes**

Cllr Alex Beckett (Libdems – Market, formerly Queen Ediths) introduced the motion and confirmed that the Department for Transport had pulled the funding from the Cambridgeshire Peterborough Combined Authority for upgrades to the A10 from Ely to Cambridge.

That was one of 16 road building schemes pulled by ministers earlier today – although I can only find a brief mention at the time of blogging from New Civil Engineer magazine.

Cllr Peter Rees (Green Party – Newnham) Cambridgeshire Green Party had questions about the funding of the Greater Cambridge Partnership – including an overall ‘consolidated picture’ on who bears the risks. Cllr Ian Manning picked up on some of this in his response, saying that the original city deal highlighted ‘matched funding’

Cllr Darren Green (Green Party – Romsey) – citing the same longstanding criticisms of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s failure to address the ‘last mile’ traffic congestion issue

“As far as I can see there has not been any progress in trying to solve the problem of how buses make progress through the rush hour in the morning – our buses will hit the same traffic that everyone else is stuck in when it hits Cambridge”

Above – Cllr Darren Green (Green Party – Romsey) to Cambridgeshire County Council, opposing the motion to submit the Waterbeach Busway application

Cllr Dr Alex Bulat strongly criticises Cambridgeshire County Council’s management of the existing Cambridge-St Ives busway

It’s worth watching her speech in full here

This is because her constituents are having difficulties on the existing Cambridge-St Ives busway. Here are a few quotations:

“Let us be absolutely clear we must restore public perception that busways can be quick and can be reliable. The GCP has been developing a number of Guided Busway projects, “building upon the success of the existing Cambridge to St Ives Busway.

” The GCP has been developing a number of Guided Busway projects, “building upon the success of the existing Cambridge to St Ives Busway.

“This is sadly not currently a success anymore as it is not a commercially viable route – a concern across my division.

“Yes, safety works are needed.

We have watched the safety works budget double. It’s out of control, timetables have slipped. How can we underestimate the costs so much? …It is damaging public trust in this type of infrastructure. People in St Ives face endless delays, people struggle to college. Commuters are going back to their cars. “

“There is a big passenger drop which then leads to Stagecoach making further cuts from January 2027 – including at peak time. Just imagine the queues when peak time services are futher reduced. Buses then become a non-viable alternative for even more people.”

“We need reassurance from the Combined Authority. I have seen comment from the Mayor. There is no sign that the CPCA that it is willing to save the St Ives to Cambridge busway to at least continue the timetable, let alone the new [busways].

“I support the principle [of busways] but residents are fed up with budgets doubling and delays, the public trust is damaging.”

Her points about Stagecoach making further cuts is alarming – and highlights the need to get bus franchising in place much faster than at present. Note that the CPCA Mayor opposes busways in principle, preferring light rail. it remains to be seen what his comments will be on the proposed Waterbeach busway.

Cllr Ros Hathorn (LibDems – Histon & Impington) says having to reduce services to enable safety improvements is part of the problem

“The Waterbeach busway will deliver students [from Waterbeach] to Cambridge Regional College… …it is the beginning of a network. When busways work well they are a really great addition”

Above, Cllr Ros Hathorn (LibDems – Histon & Impington)

“I will give tentative support to this. However, I agree with some of the criticisms. Being honest, Busways are a bit stupid. I think trains are a much better technology. We are building a bit of a budget transport network.

“We need to acknowledge climate change is the threat… …we need to get people using public transport. There are things I would like to see done differently in a dream world, this is action we can take right now. I don’t want perfect to be the enemy of good…to tackle the climate crisis in the process”

Cllr Elliot Tong (Independent, Abbey)

“I am happy to brief Cllr Tong. I have a deep distrust that this administration is actually going to be able to project manage the scheme. I have had much opportunity to quote from the historic papers setting out the transfer of project management functions from the county council to the Greater Cambridge Partnership team because of deep concerns of the County Council’s project management ability. This relates to the Chisholm Trail which was several years delayed and had much money overspent before the GCP took it over”

Councillor Ian Manning (Lib Dems – Chesterton) hits back over project management criticism

“I’d take the project management of the county council over the GCP any day”

Above – Cllr Ian Manning (LibDems – Chesterton)

“This mainly off-road busway is part of a suite of measures in response to:

Above – Cllr Lorna Dupre (LibDems – Sutton), also the county member on the GCP Board

“What did the Tories say?”

Have a listen to Cllr Ross Martin (Cons – Sawtry)

In effect he echoed the points made by his Labour counterparts Cllr Alex Bulat and Cllr Elisa Meschini.

“I won’t support this motion …until the county council can run the busway in the way it should be run.”

Cllr Ross Martin (Cons – Sawtry)

He was followed by Cllr Luis Navarro (LibDems – Northstowe) who highlighted the longstanding challenge of the impact of the Pandemic which changed the way people travelled.

Party-political criticisms
  • The Liberal Democrats criticised The Green Party councillors for not supporting the busway as a public transport scheme
  • The Liberal Democrats criticised the Conservatives in response to
  • Labour criticised the Liberal Democrats over project management
  • The Conservatives criticised Liberal Democrats over project management
  • Several councillors highlighted their support for the busway on the grounds of ‘not letting Perfect being the enemy of ‘Good’

Councillors voted as follows:

For: 40

Against: 8

Abstentions: 7

Therefore Cambridgeshire County Council will be submitting an application under the Transport and Works Act 1992 to the Secretary of State for Transport for a Development Consent Order for a new busway between Waterbeach and Cambridge. It is the same process as for the recently-approved busway between Cambourne and Cambridge.

If you are interested in the longer term future of Cambridge, and on what happens at the local democracy meetings where decisions are made, feel free to: