Community welcomes return of lifesaving bus route between Peterborough and Stamford

A community has welcomed the return of a first class bus service linking villages around Peterborough with the city and with Stamford.

The number 27 service, which runs from Stamford to Peterborough and back, stopping at Wittering, Wansford, Ailsworth, Castor and Longthorpe, re-started yesterday, after Mayor Nik Johnson worked to re-instate the route.

Residents living in villages had been forced to pay up to £25 for taxi fares to medical appointments.

Campaigners who had spent two years calling for the service to return were delighted to see it back up and running.

Susan Magill, from the Bus Service through Castor, Ailsworth, Wansford & Wittering campaign group, said: “There were two people on the very early service, but on the later service it went so well, with lots of people on board.

"We gave everyone who got on a round of applause.

"I live in Castor, and we have been calling for this service for two years. Villages like Castor, Wittering and Wansford are isolated and people living there need a service to link them with Peterborough and Stamford.

“A huge thank you again to the Cambridgeshire Mayor Nik Johnson and Deputy Mayor Anna Smith, for making this happen, as well as to (former Peterborough Mayors) Nick Sandford and Alan Dowson for helping us start this campaign.

"Stagecoach have also been brilliant in setting this up.”

Announcing the return of the service, Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough said Dr Nik Johnson said: “I know how important good quality public transport is for so many of our residents, which is why we at the combined authority have been working hard to find a way to get this bus route working again, and I’m delighted to announce that it will return in the coming weeks.”

It has also been announced a new £1 bus fare initiative for under 25s, which was launched last month has reached a significant milestone with more than 2,500 applications received and more than 1,100 Tiger bus pass cards printed so far.

The £1 Tiger bus pass offers young people more affordable travel options to places of education and training, jobs, shopping, social visits, and more. This initiative is a key part of the Combined Authority’s efforts to improve the local bus network.