The interests of residents and the environment are being ignored in plans for Cambridge South East Transport (CSET) busway, which would cut up green belt land near Stapleford.
The £132 million proposal would provide a new public transport route from the A11 via Sawston, Stapleford and Shelford to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. It would also include park and ride spaces for 1,250 cars, and a new path for pedestrians and cyclists.
But since the environmental assessment was undertaken in 2020, impacted residents believe that the situation has changed – but the plans have not.
Residents of Stapleford currently face proposed developments including the expansion of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the retirement village on Hinton Way.
They believe that planners have not taken these updated material considerations into account when failing to review the proposed route for the busway – which would destroy more green belt land.
The disgruntlement of residents matches that of the Conservative opposition in South Cambs. Conservative councillors are opposed to the CSET busway for its unnecessary destruction of the countryside.
Cllr Heather Williams, Leader of the Conservative group, said that we cannot use infrastructure “as a carte blanche excuse to concrete over the countryside and destroy the green belt in an irreparable way. Whichever route is chosen must have the minimal damage possible to our environment and way of life."
Cllr Williams continued:
"The GCP must stop, must rethink, and must find a way to achieve the objectives that it is set up to do: to give fast transport links to residents whilst truly appreciating the natural environment which we hold so dear."
The 2022 South Cambs Conservative manifesto proposes seriously considering alternative options, including reopening the Cambridge to Haverhill railway line.
This would utilise existing infrastructure without further destruction of parts of Cambridgeshire’s green belt – already under threat from large-scale housing and transport developments in the district.
