Rural bus campaigners pleased with new timetable

5 hours ago

Shariqua AhmedPeterborough

Julia Cunnington (left) and Jean Jackson campaigned for buses to start earlier each morning

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC Julia Cunnington, a woman wearing a green floral top and blue sleeveless jacket and Jean Jackson, a woman wearing a red coat with grey short hair, stand together at a bus stop. — Julia Cunnington (left) and Jean Jackson campaigned for buses to start earlier each morning

Campaigners who called for changes to a rural bus service to help students and workers have welcomed a new timetable.

From June, route 27 between Stamford and Peterborough will run from 07:00 BST Monday to Saturday, 30 minutes earlier than before, and more frequently.

The service passes through villages including Wittering, Wansford and Castor and is funded by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

Mayor Paul Bristow said it would help students going to The King's School, while Julia Cunnington from Wittering said it would make "a big difference".

The Centrebus-operated route will run six services into Peterborough and four towards Stamford every day, a total of three additional services.

Route 27 operates between Peterborough and Stamford, stopping at the surrounding villages

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC A wooden bus shelter with two women standing inside it. It is a cloudy day and it has been raining. There are houses to the right and left of the frame. — Route 27 operates between Peterborough and Stamford, stopping at the surrounding villages

Jean Jackson, another campaigner from Wittering, said residents were delighted with the changes.

"Centrebus have been excellent and they've listened to us and co-operated fully, so we're very pleased with what they're doing for us at the moment," she said.

Cunnington added: "The first bus in the morning now goes up to King's School, dropping the students off, and college students can also get off there with a shorter walk, getting them in on time."

Route 27 was withdrawn in 2019 but reinstated in 2024 following a campaign led by residents and supported by former mayor Nic Johnson.

Before it was scrapped, the service included a stop at The King's School and ran earlier in the morning.

Passengers were previously directed to Callconnect on-demand bus service but campaigners said it did not always fit with people's schedules.

Mayor Paul Bristow said the Combined Authority had listened to the campaigners

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC Paul, a man, with blonde hair, wearing a grey suit, smiling for camera. — Mayor Paul Bristow said the Combined Authority had listened to the campaigners

Conservative mayor Bristow added: "Where we can act to make buses better, we will, and I'm encouraging everyone along the route to try the new service when it launches next month."

Centre Bus, which secured the contract for the next three years, said the route would call at Longthorpe, Thorpe Wood, Castor, Ailsworth, Wansford, and Wittering.

"One journey in each direction will serve The King's School at Peterborough to meet the transport requirements of students attending the school," a spokesperson added.

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