Read mayor Paul Bristow’s new column: ‘I’ve got a clear plan for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’
Paul Bristow, the newly-elected Conservative mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, writes the first of his new monthly columns for the Cambridge Independent.
As I was elected on a pledge to get this region moving, I’ll keep my introduction short. It’s a fantastic honour to be elected your mayor. Whether you voted for me or not, I’m here to represent everyone across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and to make this role matter to people.
I’ve got a clear plan, set out in my 44-page manifesto, to make this region wealthier, happier and healthier. And a good place to start is with the future of Cambridge.
The economy is a globally competitive innovation powerhouse, especially in life sciences. The city absolutely deserves the attention it’s getting from Government to realise its full economic potential. But when we talk about growth ambitions, we must get the balance right, and that means making sure existing residents benefit.
Housing and commercial development which is bolted-on, paired with sticking-plaster transport solutions and a lack of serious infrastructure like in power and water, will do more harm than good. The government wants Cambridge to be a cornerstone of a UK Silicon Valley, but to do that we need to create good places to live and make growth work for people already living here.
To that end, Cambridge needs a light rail system. It’s the only sensible solution to get people moving more reliably and conveniently, while helping give that headroom we need for growth. Relying on busways won’t get the job done.
Light rail can also reshape the future of East-West Rail. I’ve already written to the East-West Rail Company with a proposal: connect Cambourne to Cambridge by light rail, years before heavy rail arrives. That would unlock a faster, cheaper, less disruptive route for the East-West mainline, avoiding the need for high embankments through villages like Hardwick and Comberton, and still linking directly to Cambridge South. It’s the kind of joined-up thinking Cambridge needs.
Of course, buses remain vital, but the current franchising plan is flawed. It relies too heavily on borrowing, unrealistic targets like doubling passenger numbers, and a rushed shift to zero-emission fleets in just five years. I’ll fix that plan, and in the meantime hold a summit of all bus, coach and community transport operators to establish a proper working partnership, moving forward together and improve services.
Tiger Pass funding is due to run out mid-year. To support our young people, I shall introduce a permanent, reduced-fare travel pass so that children and young people can continue to get on a bus for less.
Wider infrastructure clearly needs investment too. The prolonged dry weather we are experiencing only further highlights that the Fens Reservoir must be delivered quickly to secure better water supplies. And expanding the Addenbrooke’s A&E is required to keep pace with demand. These aren’t extras, they’re essentials if we want growth to benefit all.
I’ve met Peter Freeman, chair of the Cambridge Growth Company, tasked with driving forward government growth ambition in the area. They have made a good start and my message was clear: if you want lasting success, local voices must be heard.
Because what success looks like is where people who already live here feel like they can share in opportunity, and benefit from a better place to call home.
This brings me to the wider point – partnerships are key. Lone wolfs don’t win big, but packs do. With our councils, our MPs and our business leaders, we are stronger when we speak with one clear, united voice about the investment this region needs for its future. And when we succeed, it won’t be a win for any one of us, it’ll be a win for all of us. My message to my fellow Combined Authority board members is: let’s work together.
I’ll work with anyone who wants a better future for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, because beyond the politics, it’s delivery for people that matters.
