A2B Travel Group has won the contract to ‘plug the gaps’ on the number 9 route between Littleport, Ely and Cambridge.
The family business operating services across Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, and Suffolk has been awarded a contract by Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority after Stagecoach drastically reduced the timetable.
The Combined Authority, which is responsible for transport across the region, says A2B will run a second number 9 service subsidised by the Combined Authority, which will provide a service where there are gaps.
New timetable:
Littleport – Ely – Cambridge
- 06.35 Stagecoach commercial route
- 09.30 A2B subsidised by CPCA route
- 11.00 Stagecoach commercial route
- 12.30 A2B subsidised by CPCA route
- 14.47 Stagecoach commercial route
- 16.20 A2B subsidised by CPCA route
Cambridge – Ely – Littleport
- 07.50 A2B subsidised by CPCA route
- 09.20 Stagecoach commercial route
- 10.50 A2B subsidised by CPCA route
- 13.10 Stagecoach commercial route
- 14.40 A2B subsidised by CPCA route
- 17.35 Stagecoach commercial route
Stagecoach tickets will be accepted on the A2B service and single journeys will be capped at £2.
“Meanwhile, the Combined Authority will look at ways to grow use of the service so that more buses can be added to the timetable,” said a Combined Authority spokesperson.
“Stagecoach announced its decision to cut the number 9 as part of a package of changes that will come into effect on April 14th.
“This included improvements to some routes but reductions to services that they deemed not commercially viable.”
Judith Barker, Executive Director of Place and Connectivity, said: “We have acted quickly to subsidise a new service which will go some way to plug the gaps left by Stagecoach.
“We recognise how important buses are to our residents, helping them to stay connected, get to work, school or college, meet friends and get to health appointments. They are the lifeblood of our communities.”
The number 9 subsidy is additional to the 30 new and improved routes the Combined Authority is introducing to the region funded via the Mayoral General Precept.
“A £1 fare for people under 25 years of age will also be introduced in the summer – helping them to get a good education and access to better jobs and training programmes,” said the spokesperson.
“On top of this there will be improvements to bus stops and shelters. The first stage was a survey which identified almost 3,000 bus stops around the region.
“The second phase will be to identify shelters that would benefit from investment to improve safety and security and ease of waiting.”
