Partnerships and progress – Paul Bristow’s first 100 days as Mayor 

Partnerships and progress – Paul Bristow’s first 100 days as Mayor 

It’s been 100 days since Paul Bristow was elected Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and from day one he has set to work delivering on his pledge to ‘Get Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Moving’.  

From safeguarding the Tiger pass, stepping in on threatened bus routes, investing in skills capacity and campaigning for critical upgrades to infrastructure, the Mayor’s focus has been on action and uniting the region behind a bold agenda for growth. 

At the heart of that effort is partnership. From local councils and MPs, to businesses and communities, the Mayor has called for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to join forces to deliver for the region and speak with a united voice to government on the investment the local economy needs to truly thrive. 

The Mayor acted immediately to start aligning the Combined Authority’s work with the clear direction set out in his manifesto and a mission to ‘make the Mayor matter’. This included: 

• Pausing the Combined Authority corporate plan and mayoral pledges, and starting a strategic reset to focus on his manifesto, delivery and outcomes for region. 

• Taking action so a target to cut by 15% the miles driven on the region’s roads by 2030, which he said was part of a ‘war on motorists’, will no longer be applied to future policies going forward 

• Prioritising visible leadership: visiting the region, listening to local voices, and raising awareness of key local and national issues and how the Combined Authority can act. 

Transport has been a key area early on, including: 

• Extending the Tiger pass: £1 bus fares for under-25s have been secured until March 2026 after a decision by the Combined Authority Board. It is a key step towards the Mayor’s goal of a permanent, affordable discount pass for young people. 

• Bus route rescue: The Combined Authority stepped in to protect threatened services;  the 33 between March and Whittlesey, the 31 between Ramsey and Whittlesey and the 9/X9 between Cambridge and Littleport, with new tenders going out to keep routes running. 

• Ely junction upgrade: The Mayor galvanised council leaders and MPs support, cross party, to push for long-overdue upgrades at Ely junction which are holding back economic growth. Faster trains between Cambridge and Peterborough and critical capacity for freight will be unlocked if the long-awaited upgrades are delivered.  

To help power forward the local economy, the Mayor has championed investment and major infrastructure and regeneration projects: 

• Putting the region in the national spotlight at UKREiiF – one of the country’s biggest infrastructure and real estate conferences – showcasing the opportunities for investment in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. 

• Welcoming government recognition for the Fens Reservoir being designated a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), which means the planning process will be fast-tracked. The Mayor had called for months for the project to be sped up and now wants to ensure delivery is accelerated too. 

Mayor Paul Bristow said: 

“From urgent action to secure the Tiger Pass and stepping in on valued bus routes faced with the axe, to the hard yards of making the case for road and rail upgrades, housing delivery, skills investment and major infrastructure, the work to get Cambridgeshire and Peterborough moving is underway. 

“Bringing this region together is key. Whether it’s councils, MPs, business leaders, or community groups, we are stronger when we speak with one voice. On Ely junction, on transport investment, on promoting this region to investors, we’ve shown that unity is power.” 

“This is just the start. Government wants growth here – that’s understandable – we are a global centre for innovation and should be ambitious. But it’s also vital that growth to works for the people who live here. A stronger economy must mean more jobs and opportunity, better public services, and healthier, wealthier lives.   

“Whether that’s building a light rail system in Cambridge, dualling A-roads, delivering the Fens Reservoir, or a new community stadium in Peterborough, we’ve got a big opportunity to build a better future. I intend to do just that.”