Responses to Greater Cambridge Partnership’s road charging consultation ‘highest ever’

Responses to the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s (GCP) consultation on plans to shake-up the city’s bus service funded by a road charge were the ‘highest ever’ received by the transport body.

The GCP is expected to provide an update on the next steps for the proposal this summer.

A report published ahead of the GCP’s joint assembly meeting on Thursday (February 16) said a paper on the project is due to be presented to members in June.

It said: “During the consultation the GCP held or attended over 100 public meetings, virtual and outreach events and convened more than 50 focus groups.

“We achieved our aim of securing wide representation, we received over 23,000 responses to the online survey and more than 100 formal stakeholder responses.

“This is the highest consultation response rate the GCP has ever achieved as groups on each side of the debate putting forward their reasons for their support or objection.

“Work will now begin to analyse the huge amount of data and information which has been collected, including the many written answers which were an important feature of the survey.”

The GCP consulted last year on plans to provide cheaper bus fares and more frequent services with longer operating hours, funded by a road charge on motorists operating under a Sustainable Travel Zone.

The fee would be priced at £5 for cars, with higher fees for larger vehicles, and would operate from 7am to 7pm on weekdays.

The Making Connections consultation closed on December 23, with the GCP receiving more than 23,000 responses. The results will feature in a final report, scheduled for the GCP executive board in June.

It is expected that the board will be asked to make a recommendation to Cambridgeshire County Council on what should be progressed following the analysis of the consultation and further technical work.