The chief executive of the organisation starting legal action against the planned Cambridge to Cambourne busway has described a “David and Goliath battle”. The bus route planned by the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) would run between West Cambridge and Cambourne, with stops at Bourn Airfield, Hardwick and Coton.
The GCP has described aims to provide “quick, easy and reliable transport choices”. However, critics have described alleged environmental destruction caused by the scheme, which they say is unnecessary in light of alternative options and the potential East West Rail route.
The busway would be built through green belt land and Coton orchard, the largest traditional orchard in Cambridgeshire and the eighth-largest in the country. The GCP applied for a Transport and Work Act Order, which is needed before work can start, from the government’s Department for Transport in November 2024.
Cambridge Past, Present and Future, which owns some of the land that the busway would run through, has started a legal fight against the proposals. A petition to ‘save the green corridor’ and prevent the busway has attracted more than 23,000 signatures since it was set up by the group in August 2022.
James Littlewood, Chief Executive of Cambridge Past, Present and Future, said: “Our view is that it [the busway] is completely unnecessary because it would be possible to build a bus lane instead. We have been campaigning for them to consider this alternative scheme.
“It is a David and Goliath battle; we are trying to raise £100,000 to cover our legal and professional costs.”
Mr Littlewood said the bus lane would be “significantly cheaper” and argued that the busway would be considered if the East West Rail route was already in place. This railway is expected to run from Oxford to Cambridge, including tracks between Cambourne and Cambridge.
Coton Orchard, which the proposed busway would run through
(Image: Anna Gazeley)
Coton Busway Action Group is supporting Cambridge Past, Present and Future in their fight against the busway. Debbie Whitton Spriggs, campaigner for this group, said: “We fully support the development of better transport links from the west of Cambridge into the city and other key destinations.
“But the GCP’s scheme is not a good solution. The off-road section of their scheme is environmentally devastating.
“It will effectively destroy Cambridgeshire’s largest traditional orchard – a Priority Habitat and County Wildlife Site with exceptional biodiversity. It will also cut across vital wildlife corridors and valuable agricultural land.”
Debbie criticised the carbon emissions produced during the construction of the busway, and backed the alternative on-road route proposed by Cambridge Past, Present and Future: “Quite simply, the choice is between an environmentally destructive, ineffective scheme for an estimated cost of at least £220 million – or a scheme with minimal environmental impact and more direct journeys for less than £60 million.”
The GCP currently estimates the busway scheme to cost £160m. A spokesperson for the GCP said: “The Cambourne to Cambridge project is all about improving walking, cycling and public transport between growing communities to the west of the city. We expect up to eight buses per hour with direct services to the West Cambridge site, the city centre and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
“This will give people quick, easy and reliable transport choices to where they need to be. Over the last ten years, we have thoroughly assessed other options, including on existing roads, but found these won’t give people the same benefits as our scheme.
“The on-road options have been fully assessed and, if bus lanes were to be provided, they would also damage areas such as Madingley Wood, an ancient woodland and site of special scientific interest and the setting of the American Cemetery. We also recognise the importance of Coton Orchard to wildlife and that is why we are committed to reducing ecological impacts as far as we possibly can.
“We plan to create new habitats at the orchard – through new trees, hedges and grassland – and we will plant 1,500 new trees across the route as part of our commitment to deliver a minimum 10 percent biodiversity net gain, with an ambition of achieving 20 percent. All this will sensitively fit into the landscape and complement the existing views.
“Meanwhile, East West Rail may bring more travel choices for Cambourne residents and people living further afield in the future, but pre-statutory consultation on the route is still ongoing and it will take many years to deliver.
“Our scheme tackles congestion into and out of Cambridge by serving the growing and new communities, such as West Cambourne, the Bourn Airfield development and the West Cambridge site. These will not be linked by East West Rail.
“The Cambourne to Cambridge project has been subject to extensive technical work, multiple public consultations and an independent audit. It would provide growing communities to the west of Cambridge a quick, easy and reliable choice to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the city centre.
“We expect a public inquiry will be called later this year and the final decision would be taken by the Secretary of State for Transport.”