Members noted the outline business case and agreed to a fully independent review of the project, which would provide a dedicated public transport route and first-class walking and cycling links to transform journeys between Cambourne and the city.
The findings of the independent review will be put before the Board in July, with a public consultation on the detailed design and environmental mitigation for the scheme to be held in the second half of 2021 subject to the findings of the audit.
Cllr Roger Hickford, Chair of the GCP’s Executive Board, said:“Residents and businesses desperately need reliable and effective transport links between Cambourne and Cambridge, so it is vital that we agree the next steps for this key project.
“It has taken a considerable time to get to this point and so it is important we have a transparent, robust and independent review which scrutinises the project at this key point. More details about this process will be set out in due course but I am keen to see it get to work, and look forward to the report in the summer.”
Cambourne to Cambridge had been on hold since February and, in light of concerns about further delays, the Joint Assembly urged the Board to set out a path forward for the project.
The proposed scheme, which was presented to the Joint Assembly and Local Liaison Forum in both January and June 2020, uses existing roads through Cambourne before joining a dedicated section of new road running through the planned Bourn Airfield development.
It continues south of the A428 and A1303 and re-joins existing roads in west Cambridge, via the Rifle Range track, to enable travel on to key destinations across the city.
The plans include a new travel hub at Scotland Farm where people could park their cars or bikes and switch to fast and reliable public transport services. A dedicated segregated cycling and walking route would run along the entire length of the public transport track.
The scheme has been developed over the last five years and has included three rounds of public consultation and the production of a Strategic Outline Business Case and Outline Business Case, in compliance with Department for Transport guidelines.
The Cambourne to Cambridge project is part of a package of sustainable transport schemes being delivered by the GCP using City Deal funding. It is one of four public transport routes that together create vital links between new developments in the Local Plan and key employment hubs across the city and, in the future, can form an integral part of the Combined Authority’s Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro system.
For more information visit the GCP's Cambourne to Cambridge project pages