Hope for villages after county council reconsiders guided bus decision
Houghton and Wyton guided bus plea from resident - Credit: Archant
Cambridgeshire County Council has made a u-turn over the decision not to include two villages on the guided bus route.
Houghton and Wyton’s Parish Council, along with campaigning villagers, have been fighting since the world’s longest guided bus route opened, in 2011, but now the county council has agreed, in principle, to include the villages.
Earlier this month representatives from the county council, along with managing director of Stagecoach eastern region, Andy Campbell, met with parish councillors at the site of one of the proposed stops.
According to the parish authority the meeting agreed, in essence, the stops would include the lay-by on the A1123 as well as the location for a pedestrian crossing for bus passengers.
In a statement from the parish council, it said: “It was also agreed that the added value from this investment would be improved connectivity between the north and south sides of the village across this busy road.”
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In December last year, the county council told The Hunts Post that the authority did not have the funds for the stops and that it could be “potentially expensive.”
Following the initial meeting, the county council is now preparing engineering drawing and construction estimates which will be discussed at a review meeting in early August.
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Former parish councillor and campaigning villager Gordon Pryor told The Hunts Post: “We have waited a long time for the county council to look at this and now they have done a complete reversal. They are more positive for us and it is great news for the village.”
The project has also been given the backing of county councillor for the Hemingfords and Fenstanton Councillor, Ian Bates, along with district members Doug Dew and Alison Donaldson.
The parish council added: “We are confident that this project can be funded and delivered in due course.”
As a part of the plan it is hoped that putting in the new bus stops will provide safer access to Houghton cemetery as well as improving traffic flow to help motorists exit the villages at peak travel times.”
Cambridgeshire County Council were unavailable for a comment.
