I know that the “Ely Zipper” is an extremely popular bus service locally, performing 22,000 passenger journeys each year. It’s also a lifeline for many of my constituents who use it, whether that’s to go to the shops, visit family or commute to work.
And so I appreciate that the decision by Dews Coaches, the current provider of the Ely Zipper, to terminate its contract early, has caused worry for the numerous people in my constituency who use this bus service daily.
I’m grateful to East Cambridgeshire District Council who’ve stepped up to provide the funding necessary to secure this service until the beginning of October, when Dews’ contract was originally due to end.
But it’s also important that the Ely Zipper’s future is secured for the long-term. For this reason, last month I wrote to the Mayor of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority – who is responsible for the region’s bus services – asking for his assurance that the Combined Authority will guarantee that the Ely Zipper gets the funding it needs now and going forward.
I was disappointed that in his response the Mayor didn’t give this assurance, despite the Ely Zipper being one of the region’s most popular bus services in terms of passenger levels. For me, the need to maintain this bus service is clear and so I’ll continue to make the case for protecting the Ely Zipper to the Mayor and the Combined Authority.
