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28 Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) - Making Connections Consultation PDF 3 MB
Representatives from the GCP will inform councillors of the current consultation which runs until 23 December 2022. www.greatercambridge.org.uk/mc-2022
Minutes:
The Committee received a presentation from the Greater Cambridge
Partnership (GCP) Programme Director for City Access on the Making Connections
consultation which runs until 23 December 2022 GCP
Making Connections 2022 | Consult Cambridgeshire (engagementhq.com).
Members of the public asked questions,
as set out below.
1. The Guided Bus A on Histon Road B1049 service to the Station and
Addenbrookes (which stopped at all bus stops) had been greatly appreciated
since the GCP project finished late in 2021.
For a period in September, the busses drove by and did not stop because they
were already full when they arrived at Histon Road in Cambridge . The A bus has
been an essential improvement in the GCP Project.
Regarding the Making Connections consultation,
and the information on the Interactive Map page 35, it was difficult to
interpret where the various lines for Citi8 and the Busway service extension
from Cottenham were stopping and if this included Histon Road. The lines appeared to terminate in the middle
of the city centre. However, the most important line for Busway A (via Orchard
Park direct to Addenbrookes and Trumpington P&R) did not seem to stop on
Histon Road anymore. This was not acceptable for an area where people would be affected
by the congestion charge if they tried to use their car. The direct Busway A to
Addenbrookes was needed by many residents both for appointments and working
places.
Histon Road Area Residents’ Association requested
clarification of the Busway A route; and that the bus would stop at the GCP Bus
Stops along Histon Road in Cambridge.
The GCP Programme Director for City Access
responded that the proposals referred to were schematic. Buses would continue
to stop on Histon Road as they did now, the maps did not show every bus stop
and there were no plans to cut or stop services.
2. Asked how the GCP proposed to run an improved bus service when Stagecoach
didn’t have enough drivers to run the present service. Asked how the bus
service would be funded, if the Making Connections scheme was such a success,
this may mean few people paying the congestion charge. Asked if there were any
plans to provide secure cycle parking (particularly in the city centre), so
that it was possible to leave a bicycle and be sure of finding it later.
The GCP Programme Director for City Access responded that bus services nationally were fragile, passenger levels had
not returned to pre-covid levels, which compromised the revenue model for those
services. Acknowledged a shortage of bus drivers and noted the Mayor of
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough had committed some budget to assist with
recruitment / training of bus drivers.
Secure cycle parking was planned but welcomed further comments through
the GCP’s Making Connections consultation.
3. Asked the GCP Officer how they travelled to work. The speaker lived in
the city and noted that under the current proposals they may be charged if they
drove to a park and ride site and used that service to get to work. Noted that
more frequent buses may not assist people if they were unable to get to the bus
stops for example because of mobility issues.
The GCP Programme Director for City Access
advised that they used the Trumpington park and ride service. It was proposed
that charges were only brought in following a substantial improvement to bus
services. Noted comments about mobility and distance to bus stops.
4. Asked if bus travel counted as active travel.
The GCP Programme Director for City
Access acknowledged that most public transport journeys would start or end with
some element of active travel.
In response to comments made by the Committee, the GCP Programme
Director City Access said the following:
i.
Noted concerns raised regarding
the proposed ‘exemptions’ to the charges proposed under the Making Connections
scheme and commented that the exemptions could be refined following feedback
received during the consultation. Would look to see if information about
proposed exemptions could be made clearer within the consultation
paperwork.
ii.
Noted concerns regarding the level
of information provided about how the reimbursement process (for any charges
levied) would work. Further detailed work would be done following the
consultation.
iii.
Confirmed that schools had been
contacted as part of the consultation process and was aware of transport
poverty issues for school transport journeys.
iv.
Noted concerns regarding the
impact of charges on people who were self-employed / local businesses. Welcomed
the idea about ‘batch payments’ for charges. It was hoped some small businesses
who did frequent small trips around the city may notice benefits in terms of
reduced congestion.
v.
Welcomed the ‘Ting shared taxi’
idea and would look at this further.
vi.
Envisaged the Making Connections scheme
would be delivered by quality bus partnerships; franchising of bus services was
one option.
vii.
There was no cross subsidy of
buses.Bus services across the country (except for London) were deregulated.
This meant the bus services were run by the private sector as a commercial
concern.
viii.
The Greater Cambridge Partnership
(GCP) was a partnership between Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire
District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council plus non-voting members
including the University of Cambridge and the CPCA Business Board to deliver
sustainable economic growth through central government grant funding. Would
speak with the Web Team to see if information about what the GCP was and did
could be made clearer.