Cambridgeshire launches £150m guided busway procurement process

Cambridgeshire County Council has launched procurement for a £150 million (€190 million) guided busway project linking Cambourne and Cambridge, marking a major milestone in development of one of the region's largest planned transport infrastructure schemes. The procurement process invites construction firms to bid for the contract, with works expected to continue through to 2031 under a multi-stage procurement model.

Bus-News reported that the guided busway project aims to improve public transport connectivity between growing communities west of Cambridge and the city centre whilst supporting wider housing and economic growth objectives across Greater Cambridge. The scheme will include guided busway infrastructure, active travel routes, bridges, drainage works and associated highway improvements addressing transport demand linked to population growth and employment expansion.

The multi-stage procurement approach introduces contractors into the development process at an early stage, supporting design validation, construction planning and cost management before commencement of the main delivery phase. This procurement strategy enables contractors to contribute to feasibility assessment and value engineering before final designs and construction timelines are finalised.

Cambridgeshire County Council's procurement follows the UK Procurement Act 2023 framework, with construction activity potentially commencing in 2027 subject to approvals and contract award. The phased approach reduces delivery risk by enabling contractor input during design development stages rather than accepting fixed designs for competitive bidding.

Guided busway infrastructure requires specialist civil engineering for track construction, vehicle guidance systems integration and station development. Contractors bidding for the scheme must demonstrate experience in public transport infrastructure delivery, bus rapid transit systems and coordination with local traffic management requirements.

Read comprehensive details on Cambridgeshire's guided busway procurement and transport infrastructure expansion plans.