Mayor announces biggest bus overhaul in 40 years with move to public control

Mayor announces biggest bus overhaul in 40 years with move to public control

Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Dr Nik Johnson has announced he will franchise the region’s bus system, bringing services under greater public control to create a more reliable, affordable, and passenger-focused network.

The landmark decision marks the most significant reform of the area’s bus network in forty years.

Under the new model, the Combined Authority will set fares, routes, timetables and service standards, working with contracted private bus operators to ensure they are implemented and work effectively. Unlike the current deregulated bus system, brought in under the 1985 Transport Act, franchising allows profits to be reinvested into improved services.

The decision followed a recommendation to the Mayor from the Combined Authority Board on Thursday (February 6) to choose franchising as the best way to reform buses. The alternative option, an Enhanced Partnership, would have allowed closer collaboration with operators but left key decisions on the bus network, like service levels, in private hands.

Mayor Dr Nik Johnson said: “This is one of the most significant moments for local public transport in decades.

“For too long, private control of buses has meant ever-dwindling, unreliable services which don’t meet passenger need, are less-and-less affordable and often require millions in public subsidy just to keep key routes going. It is high time for change

“Bus franchising puts communities first. It gives us the power to design a network that works for the people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with better routes, more frequent services, and a focus on connectivity, not just what’s profitable for operators.

“This won’t happen overnight – franchising is a long-term project, and we have 40 years of poorly-regulated dysfunction to undo. But this decision is a major step towards a properly joined-up, high-quality public transport system that delivers faster, more reliable, and convenient journeys.”

Bus franchising will allow the Combined Authority to:

• Create a more integrated network with coordinated timetables and ticketing
• Improve services in rural areas and ensure communities are not left behind
• Encourage more people to use buses, reducing congestion and improving air quality
• Make services more accountable to local people and putting passengers ahead of commercial interests

The decision follows a major public consultation, held from August to November last year, which saw 63% of more than 1,600 respondents back franchising. The Combined Authority’s Transport and Infrastructure Committee later reviewed the consultation findings and unanimously recommend to the Mayor that he chooses franchising as the best way to reform the region’s bus network.

The transition to franchising will be carefully managed to ensure a smooth rollout with minimal disruption. The first franchised services are expected to launch in late 2027.

The Combined Authority will begin formal preparations for implementation.

This will include engagement with local communities, businesses and other transport stakeholders to keep them updated on progress, and working with bus operators to ensure a smooth transition to franchising.

A sustainable funding model will also be developed, with a mix of potential sources including revenue from bus fares, the Transport Levy made up of contributions from Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council, the Mayoral Precept, and Government funding and grants.

In the period up to full transition, the Combined Authority will continue its work to improve bus services, including the Tiger on Demand rural services, the Tiger bus pass offering £1 journeys for under 25s and maintaining the £2 cap on fares through to the end of June 2025, with a small rise to £2.50 to the end of December 2025.

These improvements are just a part of a long-term plan to transform bus travel in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

The Mayoral Decision Notice can be read here.