A number of bus services in Cambridgeshire may need further review before funding for another year is agreed.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has said 18 of the services it subsidises could need to be changed for funding to continue.

It has also listed 51 services it proposes to continue funding until March 2025 without any changes.

The Combined Authority has been reviewing all of the bus services that it currently subsidises in order to “make sure the investment is of best value and is supporting communities”.

In the long term the authority is hoping to pursue bus franchising to deliver public transport reform in the county.

The Combined Authority is currently supporting a number of existing services, some of which it stepped in to fund after Stagecoach announced a number of route cuts last year.

The authority said it currently has around a £7.6m budget to use towards bus services, partly funded through the Mayoral precept that was added to the council tax bill this year.

A paper presented to the Combined Authority’s transport and infrastructure committee this week set out the 51 services it proposes to extend contracts for until March 2025.

It also set out the 18 services it suggested need further review in order to look at options to improve them to “better serve communities”.

A further seven services have yet to be assessed as the authority has said more information is needed. The Combined Authority is also proposing to extend the Ting contract to March 2024, and for a review of the service to be undertaken.

A final decision on whether to continue or review these services if expected to be made by the Combined Authority board on September 20.

Councillor Sam Wakeford said it was important the services were not only funded, but were also reliable. He said this was an issue being raised by people and said it was important for operators to reliably run the funded routes.

Officers said they agreed with this and said there was an ongoing process of working with operators on the issue.

Councillor Anna Smith said that alongside reviewing the existing routes that were being funded, she said she would also like the authority to look at areas where there are currently no services.

Councillor Chris Seaton stressed the importance for the Combined Authority to meet and talk with parish councils about the bus services in order to gain a better understanding of what is required.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor, Dr Nik Johnson, said he hoped the recommendation to the board to continue the 51 services, and to review some of the others would help them into a “direction of travel that really begins to deliver”.

However, he also said he was “not naive” and recognised the “huge amount of challenges we still have with certain services”. He said the authority was listening and said they were “building a narrative here that will deliver if we all work together”.

Routes recommended to continue:

8: Cambridge – Dry Drayton – Papworth Everard
1A: St Ives – Bar Hill
114: Cambridge City Centre – Grafton – Beehive – Addenbrookes
Ely Zipper 2: Ely – Chatteris
125: Ely – Little Downham
9A: Ely City Circular
56: March – Manea/Benwick
16A: Gt Thurlow – Cambridge
46A: Newmarket – Dullingham – Linton
302: St Ives – Chatteris – March
400: Huntingdon – Spaldwick – Kimbolton – Huntingdon
15: Haslingfield – Bassingbourn – Royston
401:Huntingdon – Leighton Bromswold – Huntingdon
101: Whittlesford – Duxford – Saffron Walden
11: Cambridge – Burwell – Newmarket
19: Landbeach – Cambridge
117: Ely – Upware
199: Cambridge Newnham
C2: St Neots – Longstowe – Orwell – Arrington – Croydon – The Hatleys
68: Horse Fair – Tesco
47: Brinkley – Dullingham – Newmarket
5A: Longstanton – Swavsey
129: Ely – Brandon Creek
X2: Huntingdon – Papworth Everard – Cambridge Biomedical Campus
62: Peterborough City Centre – Maxey
112: Newmarket – Soham – Ely
56: Wisbech – Manea
26: Cambridge – Royston
21: St Ives – Somersham – Ramsey
31: Peterborough – Ramsey
50: Wisbech – Long Sutton
63: Peterborough – Keys Park
18: Cambridge – Cambourne – St Neots
Ely Zipper: Ely – Witcham
902: Newmarket – Kirtling – Cheveley – Newmarket
PR1: Cambridge City Centre – Madingley Road Park and Ride
204: Isleham – Snailwell – Newmarket
904: Newmarket – Dullingham – Brinkley – Newmarket
46: Wisbech – March
4: Parnwell – City Hospital
61: Peterborough City Centre – Newark Sainsbury’s
X3: Cambridge – Papworth Everard – Huntingdon
903: Dullingham – Newmarket
901: Ashley – Cheveley – Newmarket
V4: St Ives – Fenstanton – Boxworth
2: Paston – Bretton
3: Bretton – Park Farm
5: Welland – Yaxley
6: Peterborough – Hampton
1: Orton – Werrington
66/X3: Huntingdon – St Neots

Services where further review is recommended:

7A: Duxford – Whittlesford – Sawston – Whittlesford – Duxford
8A: Cottenham – Chatteris – March
29: Peterborough City Hospital – Hampton
15: Over – St Ives
31: Cambridge – Fowlmere – Barley
18: Newmarket – Fulbourn – Teversham – Newmarket Road Park and Ride
301: St Ives – Somersham – Ramsey
22A: St Ives – Somersham – Woodhurst
415: Peterborough – Upwood
75: Cambridge – Orwell – Wrestlingworth
65: St Neots – The Offords – Buckden
33A: March Town Service
17: Royston – Bassingbourn – Guilden Morden
150: St Neots – Kimbolton – Tilbrook
12: Newmarket – Fordham – Soham – Stuntney – Ely
19: Haverhill – Linton – Burrough Green
61: Eynesbury – St Neots – Eaton Ford/Eaton Socon – St Neots – Eynesbury
305: Huntingdon – Ramsey – Chatteris
Ting: West Huntingdonshire Demand Responsive Transport

Services requiring further information before an assessment can be completed:

Citi4: Cambridge – Cambourne
22: St Ives – Pidley – Warboys
23: Peterborough Queensgate – Lynch Wood
110: Ely – Cottenham – Impington
203: Newmarket – Isleham
22X: St Ives – Pidley
23A: Peterborough Queensgate – Lynch Wood