Cambridgeshire Guided Busway

Bircham Dyson Bell is advising Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) on the authorisation, construction and operation of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway (CGB).

At 40km in length (with 25km of dedicated guideway), CGB will be the longest guided busway in the world. Services will run from Huntingdon to Trumpington, connecting St Ives, Cambridge City Centre, Addenbrooke’s Hospital and Cambridge Science Park. The projected scheme cost is in excess of £100million.

To build CGB, CCC needed to obtain statutory authorisation in the form of a Transport and Works Order and the associated consents needed to address impacts on archaeological heritage, nature conservation, protected species, open space, rights of way, listed buildings, conservation areas, highways and a waterway. Implementation was complicated by the proposed use of a former rail corridor for part of the route and the need to engage, and make allowance for, certain developments proposed along the route: Northstowe to the north-west, and Clay Farm and Cambridge Biomedical Campus to the south.

We successfully guided CCC through a substantial nine-week public local inquiry in 2004:

  • advising on the necessary consents and authorisations;
  • engaging with the 2,741 objections lodged and over 70 objectors who appeared at the inquiry;
  • auditing the application and inquiry documentation, including the environmental statement, proposed planning conditions, environmental management plan, code of construction practice and visual design guide;
  • attending to all statutory procedures, notification and publication requirements;
  • instructing Counsel and assisting in the preparation of multiple proofs of evidence;
  • negotiating and settling multiple agreements with landowners and other stakeholders affected; and
  • advising on implementation of the powers granted, including the exercise of compulsory purchase powers and the discharge of planning and other conditions.

We also assisted on the securing central government funding and developer contributions.
Since the making of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway Order 2005, we have been advising on the acquisition of the land and rights needed to construct CGB and the associated Park & Ride facility, including the land comprising the former rail corridor and required rights in Cambridge Station forecourt, Hills Road Bridge and a new bridge over the London to Cambridge main line. We have also been advising CCC regarding diversion of statutory utilities.

We have also been helping CCC develop the necessary contractual arrangements to operate the CGB. This has included advising on an overarching project partnership agreement with the bus operators who will use CGB, covering open access, a quality bus partnership, ticketing schemes, licensing and branding.

We have also been advising on a number of adjudications in relation to a dispute with the contractor constructing CGB, caused by due to serious prolongation and cost overrun. Construction of the CGB began in March 2007 and operations are due to start in November 2009.