Our Changeprint
Our Changeprint can be measured by the reduction in roadside greenhouse gas emissions; reduction in air particulates in the city centre (40% reduction in pollution); health benefits for local residents; and an increased uptake in zero-emissions bus travel.
Our story
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority and the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) received the green light on ZEBRA funding – the Government's Zero Emission Buses Regional Area initiative – to support the purchase of 30 new electric double-decker buses serving the Park and Ride and Citi2 routes across Cambridge.
The combined authority is focused on improving air quality in central Cambridge which is a major Air Quality Management Zone (AQMZ). By concentrating the use of the new zero-emission buses in this area, we believe we can have a significant impact on air quality which will bring associated health benefits and reduce carbon emissions.
The ZEBRA grant funds 21 percent of the project which includes purchasing the vehicles and installing a new depot charging infrastructure. Solar panels were also installed at Babraham Park and Ride which are used to support electric bus charging as well as car charging. The total cost of the project is £16.5M with the further cost being funded by Stagecoach, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority's Transforming Cities Fund, and Greater Cambridge Partnership's City Deal.
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Commission on Climate – led by Baroness Brown – recommended that all bus services should aim to reach zero emissions by 2030. This forward-thinking initiative has taken Cambridge a step closer to this ambitious target.
The new fleet of zero-emissions buses encourages a modal shift in travel as more people are encouraged to take better public transport as their preferred option for travelling into and across the city.
Our advice
Develop a lifetime plan – We have developed a whole life plan for each of the buses and how they are going to be used in the future – creating a simplified and future-proofed infrastructure. Technology is changing all the time and it's important to think beyond immediate need. Our approach is cautiously optimistic, we want to move with the technology while also ensuring we are serving the community efficiently and effectively.
