Bus Services

BUS UPDATE 29th AUGUST 2025

I have a number of updates to report on bus services:

NEW SERVICES TO REPLACE STAGECOACH

Stagecoach announced in April that they would cease to run the 31 and 33 from Peterborough beyond Whittlesey after the end of August. The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority has arranged three new bus services (operated by DEWS) starting 1st September: X32 (March-Whittlesey); 32 (March-Turves-Whittlesey-Ramsey); 31 (Ramsey-Whittlesey).

THROUGH TICKETING

I’ve pushed hard, as the Chairman of the CPCA Transport Committee, that passengers from March, Turves, Coates, Eastrea, Ramsey and Pondersbridge wanting to go to/from Peterborough shouldn’t have to pay double because they will now have to change buses in Whittlesey. I’m please to advise that a short-term agreement has been hammered out that a special £5 day return ticket will be available from September 1st on the new 31/32/X32 and 33 services which will allow a change of buses at Whittlesey between the Stagecoach service and the new DEWS services, without having to pay again. This special return through ticket has only been agreed up to 31st October, but we are working at the CPCA on getting a permanent solution.

32/X32 BUS STOPS IN WHITTLESEY

I’ve raised concerns with the CPCA that the gap between the bus stops at Grosvenor Road bus stand and ALDI is far too great, and that we need at least one additional bus stop in between along Eastrea Road. I’m told that the CPCA will ensure that there are stops on the section I identified. I’m awaiting confirmation of those exact locations and I’ll post that information on this site when I receive it. The CPCA tell me that they will ensure the stops can be served by the operator and found on apps etc. They are writing to the County Council to see if they have any temporary bus stops that the CPCA could install quickly whilst they can look at a plan for more permanent infrastructure. They have also spoken to Dews to ensure those stops are served. More to follow on this as soon as I get the information.

HAIL AND RIDE IN TURVES ON THE 32

More in hope than in expectation, when the timetabling for the replacement March-Whittlesey service was being compiled by the CPCA earlier this Summer, I asked if at least some services could run via Turves. Turves has had no public transport service for over 20 years, and it’s the most populous settlement in the whole of Cambridgeshire not to have a public bus service. Much to my delight, the highly competent bus planning specialist the CPCA hired in was able to include two journeys each way each day between Ramsey and March via Whittlesey and Turves, whilst maintaining all connection times at Whittlesey with the 33 connecting service to and from Peterborough. There are no bus stops between the Three Horseshoes and the Peas Hill Roundabout, so that section of the route would operate as a ‘Hail & Ride’ service, stopping on demand at any point between the ‘Shoes and Peas Hill.

Unfortunately, County Council Highways has allowed the road between Turves and Peas Hill, March to deteriorate to such an extent that a survey by DEWS shows that their vehicles could not safely use the road. They said “this is due to the condition of the road which will cause serious damage to any type of vehicle we try and use (Minibus/Single Deck/Double Deck) as modern vehicles are all low floor they will be hitting the road/grounding out which will cause all sorts of damage”.

Our short term solution from September 1st is that DEWS will pick up and set down at the Three Horseshoes on the new 32 service, but this will be the only place in Turves that the new service will serve.

Our hired-in transport specialist will be surveying the 6 miles from March to Turves road on Monday so that the CPCA can approach CCC Highways with the specific locations where the Turves to Peas Hill Road needs to be brought up to standard to be used as a bus route.

NEW ROADWORKS ON MONDAY?

Earlier this week I was informed that the new 31 and 32 DEWS bus services will not be able to serve Ramsey Mereside or Ramsey Forty Foot for the first three days of planned service because of a road closure from 1st to 3rd September: Cambridge Water had been granted permission by Cambridgeshire Highways to close a section of Oilmills Road between house number 348 and Marriots Drove for those three days. We sought permission (which is sometimes granted) to go through the roadworks with the bus service, but this was refused. Ramsey Forty Foot would still be able to access bus service 303 that operates between Chatteris and Ramsey and the CPCA with DEWS planned to seek to maintain some level of service for Ramsey Mereside, subject to there being sufficient time in the timetable. There would be no impact on Bury, Upwood, Ramsey Heights, Ramsey St Mary’s, and Pondersbridge. In the last couple of days I’ve heard that Cambridge Water may now change which dates they’ll want to close the road to do their works, so please make enquiries at DEWS for the latest information if you want to use the new 31 or 32 service next week to get to or from Ramsey Mereside or Ramsey Forty Foot.

KING’S DYKE BUS STOP

Early this year, an uninsured driver virtually demolished the Eastbound bus stop on the Whittlesey side of the King’s Dyke bridge. For this and other driving offences, the driver was sentenced to several weeks of imprisonment. Several residents have contacted me wanting to know when the bus shelter will be repaired.

Contrary to some misinformation in Town, this has nothing to do with Jones Bros., the bridge contractors.

It took five months, believe it or not, to persuade County Council to accept that the bus shelter belongs to them, and that they’ve got the responsibility to reinstate it. CCC has now accepted it’s their responsibility. I’ve been chasing them for a date when they’ll actually get the work done and (for what it’s worth) this was their reply to me on Wednesday:

“I’ve had the last quote sent through to us yesterday and as such can now start the process of picking a supplier to undertake the works. Part of the process we must follow is obtaining 3-4 quotes and providing reason as to why we chose the supplier we did to show evidence that we are getting value for money.

I also need to speak with the LHO for Whittlesey and have him send a crew out to clean up the site and remove the bus shelter.

I’m unsure of lead in times for either of the above, once I have more information now that we are moving forward – I will make sure to reach out and keep you updated.”

Meanwhile I’ll keep up the pressure to get CCC to get on with clearing up and replacing the bus shelter.

CLLR CHRIS BODEN 29.08.25 09:00

 

 

We are reaching out with some more information on the upcoming bus route changes that affect your area from this Monday, September 1st.

 

The upcoming changes are:

 

31 – Now operated by Dews Coaches

 

33 (March to Whittlesey) – Now replaced by Routes 32 and X32, operated by Dews Coaches:

  • 32: March → Coates → Turves → Whittlesey → Ramsey (restoring service to Turves)
  • X32: Express service March → Coates → Whittlesey
  • Both routes connect at Whittlesey with the 33 into Peterborough.
  • View the timetable – https://dews-coaches.com/userfiles/X32-3201092025.pdf

 

33 (Whittlesey to Peterborough) – continued to be operated by Stagecoach

  • Now only running between Whittlesey and Peterborough

 

In addition to these changes, we are pleased to introduce a new CPCA Connect ticket to make travel across these routes more seamless.

 

CPCA Connect ticket:

  • Day pass – £5.00
  • £2.00 with a Tiger Pass
  • Valid across the 31, 32, X32 and 33
  • Available until Oct 31st
  • Can be purchased on the bus from the drivers.

 

If you need any additional information or materials to help communicate these updates, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

 

Kind regards,

Communications Team