Lib Dems warn Bristow bus cuts risk repeating past transport mistakes

Liberal Democrat councillors have raised serious concerns over proposals by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor, Paul Bristow, to withdraw a number of supported bus services, warning that the approach risks repeating historic transport mistakes and further undermining confidence in the bus network.

The proposals, published in papers for the CPCA Transport Committee, include the withdrawal of several routes serving villages and market towns, including services linking communities such as Buckden and St Neots. Local councillors and parish councils were not informed in advance and only became aware of the proposals when the papers were published.

Liberal Democrats say this falls well short of previous assurances that county councillors and local communities would be engaged before any future services were proposed for reduction or withdrawal.

They also question the way the CPCA has assessed demand on some of the affected routes. In several cases, service patterns make regular use difficult or impossible, with limited operating hours or poorly timed return journeys. Treating low passenger numbers as evidence that a service is unnecessary, without first addressing these design issues, risks drawing the wrong conclusions.

Cllr Alex Beckett, Liberal Democrat County Councillor and Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Highways and Transport Committee, said:

“These proposals have come forward without the level of engagement we were clearly promised. That’s not acceptable.

In some cases, the services being judged as underused are simply not designed in a way that allows people to rely on them. If the last bus back is shortly after midday, it’s hardly surprising that usage is low. That’s a design problem, not a lack of need, and it should be addressed before any decision to withdraw a service.”

Liberal Democrats also warn that repeated changes to bus services, especially when introduced at short notice, make it harder for residents to plan their lives around public transport and risk pushing people back into cars.

Cllr Beckett added:

“There is a real danger that this becomes a modern version of the Beeching cuts. Decisions that look like short-term savings on paper can leave communities isolated for decades.

If we are serious about buses being a genuine alternative to the car, then reliability, trust and local involvement have to come first.”

The Liberal Democrat group says cuts to bus services should always be a last resort. The focus should be on working with communities to improve services so they meet real local needs, rather than moving straight to withdrawal through technical scoring frameworks.

They have confirmed they will continue to press the CPCA Mayor to pause, engage properly with affected areas, and consider options to improve services before any final decisions are taken.