The Strategic Bus Review report (PDF 2.6 MB) published Wednesday 23rd January 2019, was commissioned by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. It was welcomed by Mayor James Palmer as “an opportunity to inject strategic leadership and a more integrated approach to the bus network across the area.” [Press release]
Members of the Cambridge Area Bus Users Executive Committee contributed to the SYSTRA Meeting with interest groups, 1 August 2018 (PDF 110 KB)
The Strategic Bus Review report was at point 3.1. of the Agenda (PDF 7.5 MB) for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority meeting on Wednesday 30th January 2019.
The findings of our strategic bus review, published today, gives @CambsPboroCA the opportunity to explore options for radical reform of our whole bus network. The system isn’t working and we need change. 1/3
Mayor Palmer on Twitter
We want a bus network that will be model for others to follow. Our Board meets on January 30 to decide the next steps, including a recommendation to develop a business case for a step-change, which includes exploring franchising and enhanced partnerships. 2/3
Mayor Palmer on Twitter
The business case would take about two years. We need time to develop a robust case that ensures that we have a sound basis for any step-change. In the meantime there is an opportunity to create a bus taskforce of local partners to start delivering improvements quickly. 3/3
Mayor Palmer on Twitter
To deliver early-stage improvements, the report will recommend to the Board the setting up of a cross-organisational bus reform group. This taskforce would involve Peterborough City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, and the Combined Authority. The taskforce would consider the findings of the review and develop a brief to serve as a basis for engagement with bus operators to improve services.
Press release “Review highlights opportunity for radical reform to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough bus network”
Whilst we welcome the publication of this report, Cambridge Area Bus Users are concerned that this represents a two year delay before any reform of bus services. And there will be two-year period of putting together a ‘business case’.
In the medium/longer term there are complex, strategic projects to be put in place. There is, however, a need for urgent action. It is no exaggeration to say that local bus services are in crisis – particularly in the rural areas. How effective – and focussed – will the “cross-organisational bus reform group” be? Will it simply generate a set of ‘talking-shop’ meetings?
Would focused task groups, funded and staffed to deliver specific projects be more appropriate? There is urgent need for multi-operator ticketing, tickets (short of day tickets) which permit change of buses, reform of zonal charges – living an additional half-mile from the inner Cambridge zone can increase your weekly travel cost from £15 to £25 – and for re-planning of many bus routes.
Cambridge Area Bus Users submitted a question to Mayor Palmer.
“Cambridge Area Bus Users welcomes the publication of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s strategic bus review, almost two years after the first official Combined Authority meeting.
Our group support Mayor Palmer’s aspirations for integrated multi-mode public transport, with roles for conventional rail, guided light transport, sub-surface and conventional buses.
Passengers, however cannot ride on aspirations and there is, currently, a crisis in local bus services.
- What improvements to bus services will you implement within six months?
- What improvements to bus services will you implement within one year?
- What improvements to bus services will you implement within two years?
- What improvements to bus services do you envisage thereafter?
Our secretary referred to the “glacial pace” or reform compared to “crisis” in bus services. Responding, Mayor Palmer, refused to commit to any timescale, stating that he could not and would not commit to a timetable of aims; that would be handled by the Bus Task Force.
The Association of British Commuters (East) question when will the public have specific metrics and goals along with a timetable?
@MayorJPalmer states that he cannot and will not commit to a timetable of aims beyond spring 2021 as this is a significant task that will be handled by the Bus Task Force. The question we have, when will we and the public have specific metrics and goals along with a timetable?
— ABC East (@ABCEastRegion) January 30, 2019
Local democracy reporter, Josh Thomas, backed up our concerns about the crisis in bus services, in this tweet:
The scrutiny ctte said improvements to the bus service need to be made now & claimed in some parts of the county it is cheaper to take a TAXI than it is to catch the bus https://t.co/0xaW3xWkne
— Josh Thomas (@JoshThomasLDR) January 29, 2019
Our supplementary question was about ‘quick wins’, in particular the facilities for multi-operator ticketing.
Our secretary refers to the “glacial pace” or reform compared to “crisis” in bus services. Can a “Quick Win” setting up back office facilities for multioperator ticketing site all services be achieved?
— Cambridge Area Bus Users (@CBGbusUsers) January 30, 2019
@CBGbusUsers have posed that buses in rural #Cambridgeshire areas that do not have cross ticket acceptance and wish to know what the short and long term goals are. Multi bus tickets are expensive and not accepted on @Stagecoach_East X5 service nor the guided busway.
— ABC East (@ABCEastRegion) January 30, 2019
Sadly, MayorPalmer responded by posing a false dichotomy between “doing things quickly and doing things properly”.
When the Strategic Bus Review report was discussed at point 3.1. of the Agenda (PDF 7.5 MB) three councillors raised similar concerns to ours.
Lucy Nethsingha (Cambridgeshire County Council) raised her concerns about “the slow pace to establish an enhanced partnership with bus operators or bus franchising,” and how the region “needs improvements immediately.” Bridget Smith (South Cambridgeshire District Council) added that “[We] need to work with operators to prevent further deterioration services [and] to examine the best way for delivery – partnership or franchising.”
“Slow pace to establish enhanced partnership or #busfranchising” says @LNethsingha.
— Cambridge Area Bus Users (@CBGbusUsers) January 30, 2019
“Need improvements immediately.”@cllrbridget backs this up. “Need to work with operators to prevent further deterioration. Need to examine best way for delivery – partnership or franchising.”
Lewis Herbert (Cambridge City Council) stressed the need to have cross-operator tickets and raised concerns about “the monopoly position of Stagecoach”.
Cllr @lewis_herbert reiterates our point about the need to have X-operator tickets. Says that monopoly position of Stagecoach means “they are dictating to us how things are run.”
— Cambridge Area Bus Users (@CBGbusUsers) January 30, 2019
Join the discussion, leave your comments below, or contact us by email with a submission to include in the body of this page, with attribution.
And don’t forget to look at the discussions and linked documents on our Bus Franchising, Quality Partnerships, and other ways of Improving bus services page.
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