Issue - meetings

Update on the status of the LLF.

The Committee received a presentation from the Local Liaison Forum (LLF) Chair.

The presentation outlined:

·       Background to the LLF.

·       Bus corridor options.

·       Proposals put forward to the City Deal.

·       Current position in the process.

Members of the public made the following comments in response to the presentation:

       i.          Expressed concern regarding the proposed Cambourne to Cambridge bus route.

     ii.          Travel routes from the city fringe to city centre needed improvement.

   iii.          An infrastructure study should be undertaken to review the number of bus routes and reduce these if necessary.

   iv.          Existing travel congestion issues would be exacerbated.

    v.          Time savings from the bus route would be cancelled out by time spent in congested traffic. A simplified bus fare system (ie taking less time to pay) would speed up journey times more effectively than a major infrastructure project.

   vi.          The city needed affordable public transport.

The Committee made the following comments in response to the presentation:

       i.          The LLF was a new concept to the city. People had more experience of these in rural parishes.

     ii.          All bus routes travelling through residential areas would be limited to 20mph.

   iii.          There were citywide concerns from residents about the impact of the proposed bus route on traffic flow and congestion.

   iv.          A proposal was made at the 29 September City Deal meeting to join up the bus corridor with the northwest and southwest corridor across the motorway to manage bus access into the city.

    v.          Park&ride was controlled by the County Council, who could encourage uptake by re-introducing subsidies to reduce ticket/parking costs. However bus services were run by independent companies who operated services as they saw fit. The County Council had little influence over these as it had no funding to subsidise services.

   vi.          Suggested residents could attend the 13 October 2016 City Deal Board meeting and lobby to influence options considered.

 vii.          The County Council had applied to Central Government for funding to purchase electric/hybrid buses, but had been turned down.

viii.          The devolution deal could lead to greater funding and control over buses. Cambridge City Council could learn from Cardiff Council who operated a bus service.