Edward Leigh

@[email protected]
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Local government transport policy officer. Writer about transport. Campaigner for National Road User Charge. Leader of Smarter Cambridge Transport 2015–21. Chair of Cambs Police & Crime Panel.
Bloghttps://www.reformist.org/
Smarter Cambridge Transporthttps://www.smartertransport.uk/
Show threadEdward LeighDec 14, 2023
Instead, £75m has purchased a stack of reports for projects that may never be delivered. The other £100m has paid for projects that have been or are being delivered, most of which are of dubious benefit and poor to very poor value for public money. /END
Show threadEdward LeighDec 14, 2023
For comparison, £76m is the budget for the entire Greenways programme, comprising 150km of new and improved cycle routes into Cambridge; £65m was the budget for all the enhanced bus services proposed in the abandoned #MakingConnections proposals.
Show threadEdward LeighDec 14, 2023
All the Greater Cambridge Partnership transport workstreams combined have so far cost over £175m, of which >£75m is for workstreams that have delivered nothing of benefit since the #CityDeal was agreed in 2014.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/city-deals-greater-cambridge
City Deals: Greater Cambridge

The Greater Cambridge City Deal aims to boost growth by investing in local infrastructure, housing and skills.

GOV.UK
Show threadEdward LeighDec 14, 2023
Or £18.3m could pay for half-hourly bus services from 5am to 11pm covering a network of 100km (four routes the distance of Cambourne to Cambridge) with free fares for five years. (Based on averaged operating cost of £2.76/vehicle-km, reported to ONS: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#costs-fares-and-revenue-bus04)
Bus statistics data tables

Data and statistics about the local bus sector in Great Britain.

GOV.UK
Show threadEdward LeighDec 14, 2023
To put that into context, £18.3m could have purchased 16km (10 miles) of new cycleway, the distance from central Cambridge to Burwell or Linton (at a cost of £55,000 per 50m, the rate quoted by Cambridgeshire County Council:
https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/improving-the-local-highway/cycling-improvements)
Cycling improvements

Cycle infrastructure for safer cycling, pros and cons of cycle lanes and cycleways, restrictions and costs.

Cambridgeshire County Council
Show threadEdward LeighDec 14, 2023
To date, the whole City Access programme, which culminated in the abandoned #MakingConnections and #STZ congestion charge proposals, has cost £18.3m.
Show threadEdward LeighDec 14, 2023

At an average annual salary of £60,000 plus 35% for on-costs, overheads, materials and expenses plus 15% profit, that sum equates to a team of 50 people working full-time for a year to produce this final report, the Outline Business Case:
https://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/asset-library/Sustainable-Transport/Sustainable-Travel-Programme/City-Access/Making-Connections/MCOBC/MC-OBC-V7.1.pdf

How plausible is that?

Edward LeighDec 14, 2023
This #FOI request by Tom Goldie to The Greater Cambridge Partnership reveals how this local government body has lost control of its consultancy costs:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1022805/response/2438047/attach/2/FOI%20Response%202127417.pdf

£4,696,202 to develop, consult on and revise the abandoned #MakingConnections and #STZ congestion charge proposals. 🧵