IT’S been a long while coming, but the Guided Busway has finally been handed over to Cambridgeshire County Council by contractors BAM Nuttall.

More than two years late and massively over its �116.7million budget (estimates place the overall cost at about �180m), the project has moved a step closer to opening.

Although CCC has yet to name a date for when services will begin on the Guideway, the handover will allow CCC to finish the outstanding work that is needed before buses can start running.

Mark Lloyd, chief executive of Cambridgeshire County Council, met with BAM Nuttall’s chief executive Steve Fox to finalise the completion of the contract and the handover of the project on Thursday (21 April).

“Both Steve and I are delighted all the mandatory checks have now been carried out and the route has been handed over to the council,” he said. “The council’s objective has always been to deliver a high quality route that will provide a fantastic service for our communities for many years to come. The handover of the route is the first big step towards the route opening.”

Mr Fox said: “BAM Nuttall is very proud to have built the longest Guided Busway in the world, which once open, will provide a world beating service. I am glad both the council and BAM Nuttall have taken a positive step forward today. I, like everyone at BAM Nuttall, look forward to seeing buses running along this high quality scheme as soon as possible.”

Roy Pegram, CCC’s cabinet member for growth, infrastructure and strategic planning, said: “The handover of the Busway is the news residents have been looking forward to. This is the first big step towards the route opening, but I would like to remind residents that the announcement of the opening date is still some way off.

“We expect around 3.5million trips per year will be made on the route once it opens and it will certainly be the best way to travel to avoid the frequent queues and congestion on the A14.”

CCC said at the beginning of May it would begin adding a blacktop surface to the cycleway between Swavesey and Milton Road, as well as surfacing the southern section. An additional junction to help access to the Clay Farm development – funded by developers – will also be carried out.

CCC had been waiting for BAM to provide completion certificates before accepting handover of the Busway.