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The Waterbeach development, located north of Waterbeach Village in Cambridgeshire, covers 716 acres of former barracks and airfield land, originally built in 1940. Once complete, the development will deliver 6,500 new homes, 3 new primary schools, 1 secondary school, community facilities, a health centre, town and local centres, 59 acres of open space and sports pitches, a network of footpaths and cycleways, and nearly 300,000 sq. ft. of employment floor space.
The provision of bus services for Waterbeach will play a key role in the development of the scheme and its attractiveness as a sustainable place for living, leisure and employment.
Phase 1 of the Waterbeach Bus Strategy focused on meeting immediate transport obligations under Section 106 agreements and the Framework Travel Plan. The challenge was to balance early delivery with the slower pace of housing occupations, which limited demand and risked prematurely burning through bus subsidies
Project objectives
Develop a package of bus services at Phase 1 that:
• Mitigate additional trips generated by the scheme and reduce single occupancy vehicle traffic on the A10.
• Secure support from planning authorities by delivering on Section 106 commitments.
• Maximise available funding and deliver cost-effective solutions.
• Provide a strong, scalable base for Phase 2 of the Bus Strategy.
• Enhance the sustainable credentials of Waterbeach and Urban&Civic.
Solutions
Solutions delivered
GO Travel Solutions worked alongside the client to:
• Act as a conduit between the developer’s needs, planning requirements, and local bus operators.
• Review Section 106 and Framework Travel Plan commitments, assessing changes and identifying necessary adjustments.
• Understand key travel patterns to/from Waterbeach and engage with local trip generators to explore partnerships and funding opportunities.
• Engage with bus operators, Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority and Cambridgeshire County Council to review current and planned services and recommend practical public transport solutions.
• Assess opportunities to extend existing services or introduce new routes connecting Waterbeach, Cambridge Research Park, and Cambridge, ensuring services meet both planning commitments and community needs.
• Produce outline service specifications, invite operator interest, and evaluate deliverability and costs, and secure contract commitment.
Impact & outcomes
• Successful commissioning of a new bus service linking Waterbeach, Waterbeach train station, and Cambridge.
• A bus strategy that not only met Section 106 commitments but also set a foundation for future expansion in Phase 2 and compliant with the wishes of the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority during the development of their bus franchising framework.
• A practical demonstration of the development’s commitment to sustainable travel and reduced car dependency.
“The GO Travel Solutions team have been fantastic - they were able to cut through the complexities of the regulations around bus services and offer sensible solutions that enabled us to deliver the new bus service for our growing community. Working with the team enabled us to consider a variety of options and ultimately find the best option that met our needs. We couldn't have delivered this service without the help of the GO Travel Solutions team - thank you.”
Next steps?
