£92.5 MILLION CASH BOOST JUST THE TICKET FOR GUIDED BUSWAY

The Government has agreed to give £92.5m to build the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway from St Ives to Cambridge.
This follows a ringing endorsement from an independent inspector in December 2005 who “had no doubt that the guideway sections would provide frequent, speedy travel between St Ives and Cambridge Science Park.”

Following months of discussion with the Department for Transport, Cambridgeshire County Council has received confirmation that Government will approve the final funding package.

The total cost of the Guided Busway is now £116.2m. Government will pay £92.5m towards the cost of the scheme and the rest of the funding will be gathered from developers who are building new houses in the area.

A meeting of the Council on the 18th July will now be asked to agree the final funding package and appoint the contractor to build the busway.

Cambridgeshire County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Services John Reynolds said: “This is fantastic news. The Government has recognised the significant benefits this scheme will bring to the area and the value for money it offers. The busway really will be a step change in public transport for local people. With tens of thousands of new homes being built we must manage the growth and make sure facilities exist before new residents move to the area. Guided Busway will give people an attractive alternative to their cars for some journeys with services being high quality, reliable and frequent. We have already had significant success in securing funds from the Government for road improvements and public transport. This investment is another success for the people of Cambridgeshire.”

The Guided Busway is Cambridgeshire County Council’s biggest transport initiative to date and will provide a step change in local public transport services. When completed it will be the longest guided busway in the world.

Edmund Nuttall Ltd has been selected as the Council’s preferred bidder to build the busway. Nuttall are responsible for the successful “Fastway” guided busway in Crawley. Since its opening in 2003, Fastway has carried more than 5 million passengers and its patronage figures are 41% higher than originally predicted.

In 2004 the total cost of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway was estimated at £86.4m. The cost of the scheme is now £116.2m. The cost increase is due to significant increases in local land values in recent years and because the rate of inflation in the construction industry has been higher than the Retail Price Index rate of inflation.

Councillor Reynolds added: “The funding from the Government pays for this cost increase. Back in 2004 we said that we would need to find £21m from developers and now we are in a position where we will have to find £23m. The Government fully recognises that our costs are realistic and still represent good value for money; that’s why they’re prepared to back the scheme. £92.5m is a massive investment by the Government in Cambridgeshire. The ball is very much now in the County Council’s court; I sincerely hope that Council approves the package so we can get on and deliver this scheme.”

Stops on the Guided Busway route include St Ives, Fen Drayton nature reserve, Swavesey, Longstanton, Oakington, Histon & Impington, the new development at Arbury Park, Cambridge Regional College, Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge city centre, Cambridge railway station, Addenbrooke’s hospital, Trumpington and Trumpington Park & Ride.

Bob Menzies, the County Council’s Head of Guided Busway said: “At our most recent public exhibitions so many people have said to me “Just get on and build it”. With the Government’s money, we’re now in a position to do that. For people who fight everyday with the traffic on the A14 this is great news. Daily commuters, people doing their shopping and those who want to access the Cambridgeshire countryside will soon have a high quality, reliable and frequent bus service as an alternative to taking their car on the A14.“

On-road bus priority measures are also planned to help buses from the guideway get through Huntingdon, St Ives and Cambridge city centre. Plans to improve the movement of buses in the historic centre of Cambridge have already been approved.
ENDS

Notes for Editors:

- A virtual reality DVD and high-resolution images of Cambridgeshire Guided Busway are available. Contact Kara Hill on 01223 718510 or 07795 665467.

- For further information contact: Bob Menzies, Head of Guided Busway, on 01223 717866 or Cambridgeshire County Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Transport, on 01954 200571 (h) or 07720 379699 (m).
- For further political contacts: Liberal Democrat Group Leader Julian Huppert on 01223 423561; Labour Group Leader Martin Ballard on 01223 562737.

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