Seven bus operators serving Cambridgeshire who linked up to form a new association aimed at improving the region’s network have issued a statement on the future of buses.
The CP Bus Alliance is formed of A2B, Delaine Buses, Dews Coaches, Stagecoach East, Stephenson’s, Vectare and Whippet.
At it formation in January it pledged to work with Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Dr Nik Johnson in his bid to improve the bus services.
Today the CP Bus Alliance released a statement on the eve of the closure of a major consultation on the future of buses in Cambridgeshire.
This is their statement:
The Mayor Dr Nik Johnson and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) have a clear vision to ensure that bus can play a key role, and as bus operators we whole heartedly support them in that.
Currently, CPCA is consulting on the future of buses, and it is vital that local people should have your say. This is your last chance: the consultation ends next Wednesday on 20th November 2024.
As bus operators, we have:
- Come together through the CP Bus Alliance to, whilst still competing, work together on key strategic issues for the benefit of the residents of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
- Worked at speed to introduce the Tiger £1 fares, which have truly revolutionised travel for under-25s
- Invested bus resource in services on which people travel. This investment has seen patronage growth of over 40%
- Campaigned hard to address the problems of congestion, especially that caused by roadworks and congestion.
Reliability – having a bus and a driver for every journey we operate is our responsibility and we must be held accountable for that. Through hard work, we now have bus operators delivering over 99% of their scheduled mileage.
Punctuality – making those buses run on time and avoiding us having to cancel services because of it needs effective policies for road space; utility companies actively considering the impacts of their actions on bus services and effective and enforced parking policies. These are all things not in our control.
- Listened hard to the needs of residents and we see these key needs to be:
- A model for more rural services
- Punctuality and reliability
- Affordable multi-operator and multi-modal ticketing
- A stable sustainable, growing bus network which evolves to local residents’ ever evolving needs and can demonstrate value for money
- Seen the clear desire for improvements to be achieved as soon as possible.
This is just the start of what we want to do for the people of Cambridgeshire; we want to do more and there is a way forward which shares costs and risks, and delivers on those key core needs, especially a new model for rural services. But most of all we want to start making that difference now.
How buses ultimately run – Franchising or Enhanced Partnership – is not a matter for us, as bus operators, it is a matter for the people of Cambridgeshire to decide.
All we want to do, though, is ensure that in making that vital choice, and in considering the costs and risks associated with them, local people are as well informed as possible on your options.
But most importantly of all, what worries us most, is simply that buses don’t move forward and, in order to ensure that buses do move forward, it is vital that you have your say.
You don’t have to answer all of the questions if you don’t want to, and you can share your name or not as you desire. The key thing is having your voice heard.
You can do so using the following link
https://cpca-yourvoice.co.uk/bus-reform-questionnaire-long-version/
