Search steps up for a new Peterborough bus depot to power eco-friendly travel across the region

A state-of-the-art bus depot in Peterborough will be a driving force behind ambitious plans to encourage active and sustainable travel and cut car use across the region, it has been claimed.

Details of the key role envisaged for a new bus hub come after the city secured £4 million from the Government to meet the costs of relocating the existing depot in Lincoln Road, which is squeezed by residents’ gardens and a retail area.

Its position means the 100-year-old depot cannot expand and is deemed no longer suitable for a 21st century bus service.

The £4 million award means the search for an alternative site can be stepped up with several locations already under consideration.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, which is working with Peterborough City Council on the project, said the new depot had to be able to support electric buses and which required plenty of floor space as each vehicle charger needs barriers to protect it from parking accidents.

The new depot will also need to have multi-operator capacity and be able to grow to meet any future market needs.

It will need to provide additional overnight parking capacity and maintenance facilities for buses and create a level playing field for bus operators who are bidding to operate bus services around the city.

Councillor Anna Smith, the Combined Authority’s deputy mayor, said: “This funding is a huge step towards improving our bus services in Peterborough.

" A new bus depot will help us to achieve our ambition to develop a future-proofed, accessible and sustainable public transport system for the region with affordable buses that people want to get on.

"We want to create a more connected region, which will encourage active and sustainable travel, improve health and wellbeing, and reduce private vehicle journeys.

"A new bus depot for Peterborough will play a big part in achieving this.”

Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, city council leader, said moving the depot would allow the site to be reclaimed to be used for ‘something better for the community.’