There were six railway lines into Cambridge: from Ely, Haverhill, Liverpool Street, Newmarket, Oxford and King’s Cross. Why do the government think that re-opening the one from Oxford will be “transformational” for Cambridge? Why didn't the others already do that? #EastWestRail

…“without urgent intervention a lack of [electricity] capacity will prevent current technology footprints from expanding”. Light rail, the most energy efficient mass transit available, uses <half energy of electric buses…

And it’s transport! Invest in a modern, sustainable light rail system to address growth pressures. Drop the Greater Cambridge Partnership busways, anachronistic schemes conceived over a decade ago.

“Everything about Cambridge is booming — except housing supply”ft.com/content/4a486e… via @ft

‘Not in my back yard’ says Cllr Milnes of South Cambs LibDems 🔶 . However he is quite happy to vote emphatically to drive a bulldozer through Coton Village and protected Coton Orchard as part of a land grab on the other side of Cambridge. Such hypocrisy. #SaveCotonOrchard
Bonkers Busway Cambs

2 x Greater Cambridge Partnership’ environmentally destructive & financially crippling Bonkers Busway Cambs in Cambridge Independent this week. Instead of asking for more money isn’t it time to start listening to Cambridge Past, Present & Future & deliver Better Ways 4 Busways with the £ms you’ve received Cambridgeshire County Council ❓ #BusLaneNotBusway

A read through the papers Greater Cambridge Partnership proposes to submit for the TWAO indicates that the harm of the route over Madingley Hill and through Coton Orchard is understated whilst that of an on road alternative route is falsely exaggerated.🤷‍♀️

Jaw dropping

GCP pauses southeast busway to secure yet more funding when there’s a £100m cheaper alternative, which saves our countryside. Come to our public meeting at 7:30pm on Mon 9 October at Stapleford Pavilion CB22 5BQ for an update from James Littlewood Cambridge Past Present & Future

Let’s compare this with Greater Cambridge Partnership’ proposal:

❌ No guaranteed bus franchising (that’s the CPCA’s job)
❌ No trams
❌ Vague details on integrated ticketing
❌ Buses with 1/2 wheelchair spaces are not greatly accessible
❓Walking and cycling routes, but actually joined-up…?

This week's update: sam4qe.com/sheer-contempt…

Phil Rodgers Cambridge cows, smarter than the GCP 🌳🪓🟰🥵

The GCP are “pausing“ the CSET (Addenbrookes to Babraham busway) because they’ve run out of money.
But a £100m cheaper scheme that better connects Addenbrookes was an option the GCP offered five years ago. Tell the GCP to do it now!@BrianMilnes Stephen Ferguson Steve Count

As the legally accountable body for Greater Cambridge Partnership when are Cambridgeshire County Council councillors going to start holding GCP to account❓Stop the financial and environmental destruction of our City❓ #ClimateCrisis #CostOfLivingCrisis

We already know the GCP has £50m sitting in a bank account. If the alternative to the C2C segregated route could work then that could release well over £100m by not proceeding. Imagine what could be achieved without a congestion charge.

The GCP are 'marking their own homework', a clear conflict of interest on their Government audit when spending £500m of public money. See below the article in last week's Cambridge Independent. Cambridge+Independent.pdf (squarespace.com)

GCP has to be accountable

Better Ways 4 Busways Stephen Ferguson Brian Milnes 🔶 Time to re-calculate GCP's allocation of City Deal monies ( public money) earmarked for projects so far? How are they going to match fund £500m gov grant? Unelected body spending public money like confetti? Will CCC concur? Wendy Blythe CPRE Cambs/Peterboro greatercambridge.org.uk/future-investm…

Tomorrow Cambridge County Council vote on a busroad demolishing a 100 year old Orchard and iconic countryside. Why build such an expensive route leaving no money for the greenways when the alternative delivers the same benefits? Green credentials?Stephen Ferguson Brian Milnes 🔶

Two political parties campaign for the environment but demolishing 100 year old Orchard carving a road through iconic landscapes and countryside betrays their credentials. On their own costings, it will never repay its economic cost. Madness. Vote for the environment on May 4!

Do you know what the Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership is, or how we elect its leaders?
In this article, I explain how a succession of bungled devolution deals has left Cambridgeshire's public transportation ambitions in crisis: cambsnews.co.uk/your_views/opi…