Regional bus operators met last week at a summit organised by Mayor Paul Bristow and chaired by transport specialist and CILT(UK) President Leon Daniels OBE, marking the beginning of an independent review into how bus franchising could be introduced across the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority area.

Under the proposed model, the authority would determine routes, fares and timetables, with bus companies invited to bid for contracts to operate the services. The review aims to assess whether this approach could improve reliability and expand coverage, particularly in rural parts of the region.

For Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, franchising represents a potential move towards greater public oversight of local bus networks to support access to employment, housing and education. However, the review has also pushed back the anticipated start date for the first franchised services from late 2027 to 2028.

Sources:

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority: https://cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/news/bus-summit-kicks-off-the-independent-review-of-franchising/ 

BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3973nr8mzko