East Cambs Conservatives insist more must be done to restore № 9 Littleport bus service

East Cambs Conservatives are working to ensure the restoration of a full timetable of the Number 9 Bus service from Littleport to Cambridge, insisting that the route must have three buses rather than two. 

Stagecoach currently runs three buses on the Littleport to Cambridge route which calls at Ely, Little Thetford and Stretham before going onto Cambridge, providing ten services per day in each direction.

Stagecoach recently announced they will be making a reduction to one bus, providing just three services per day in each direction and has registered changes to the timetable with the Traffic Commissioner.  The reduced service is due to take effect from 14th April.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) has said it will step in to try to salvage some of the lost timetable by commissioning one extra bus, with tender responses expected shortly.  But the new level of service, including both the Stagecoach bus and the CPCA bus, will only deliver six journeys per day in each direction instead of ten.

Cllr David Ambrose Smith, County Councillor for Littleport said, “Littleport and Ely residents are all expected to pay the Mayor’s Council Tax precept, which he has just increased by 200%, whilst getting a reduced bus service.  That’s just not on.  A full timetable must be restored.”

The CPCA has estimated the cost of the additional bus in public subsidy to be around £1.75 per passenger journey.  This represents very good value for money when set against the CPCA’s benchmark of £12 per passenger journey.

Cllr Anna Bailey, Leader of East Cambs District Council and Member of the CPCA Board said, “Whilst I am grateful to CPCA officers for moving so quickly to com-mission one extra bus, this just isn’t good enough.  The CPCA is currently subsiding the 7A in South Cambs at a staggering cost to the public purse of £125 per passenger journey.  Why should Littleport and Ely residents lose out to a service that is such a basket case?”

Cllr Bailey added “I am sorry to say that I haven’t received a reply to my email from Mayor Nik Johnson.  We need him to step up and deal with this situation.”

Local Conservative Councillors, together with Lucy Frazer MP’s office have met with Stagecoach to discuss the situation and Lucy Frazer is writing to the CPCA to push the case for restoration of a full service for local residents that also provides an integrated timetable and ticketing.  

Lucy Frazer MP said “We must restore a full service for local residents and one that is seamless, both in terms of having an integrated timetable and ticketing”.