After a hard-fought campaign, people living in Houghton and Wyton have won the battle to be included on the guided bus route.

The parish council, along with campaigning villagers, has been pushing to be included on the route since it opened in 2011 and has welcomed a plan to install bus stops on the A1123.

It means that 1,800 residents in the villages and surrounding area will be able to catch the guided bus into Cambridge, as well to St Ives and Huntingdon.

Chairman of the parish council, Councillor Lesley Craig, has commissioned construction company Skanska to produce a design and specification plan for the bus stops.

These will include bus stop laybys, a crossing point, real-time bus service information and connectivity to existing foot-paths, bridleways and Houghton cemetery.

“This design work, which is due for completion in May, will ensure compliance with standards required by Stagecoach and the road safety team of Cambridgeshire County Council, and will result in a definitive contract price for civil engineering works to complete the project,” Cllr Craig said.

The project gathered momentum after the county council agreed to make a contribution to the construction of about £50,000, with the whole project estimated to cost £100,000.

Cllr Craig added: “The parish council is working in collaboration with the county council and others to look at ways of funding the balance necessary to enable to the contract works to go ahead as soon as possible.”

The project has also been given the backing of county councillor for the Hemingfords and Fenstanton, Councillor Ian Bates, as well as former parish councillor and campaigning villager Gordon Pryor.