Parents from St Neots are "delighted" that thanks to a short-notice timetable change, their children can now get to college by bus for the new school year.
A group of 20 parents whose children either attend Cambourne Village College, or will be attending soon, wrote to the Combined Authority in June to ask if the timings of bus service 18 from St Neots to Cambridge via Cambourne could be amended so that students could use it to travel to college rather than be forced to travel in separate cars.
The Combined Authority worked with Whippet, who requested a short notice change to the timetable of the bus service 18 from September 4 so that the revised timetable can be in place for the start of the next academic year.
Now, the existing 7.45am journey between Lower Cambourne and Cambridge can start at St Neots at 7.20am, allowing new students in the town to access Cambourne Village College following an expansion of places at the school.
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Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Mayor Dr Nik Johnson said: "This is a brilliant example of the Combined Authority doing what it is set up to do, which is respond to the needs of residents.
"We immediately sprung into action and worked with Whippet to make this happen in time for the next school year.
"Many parents have no option but to drop their kids at school by car, filling up the roads with multiple vehicles and polluting the air with avoidable carbon emissions, so it's great that we were able to work together on a solution that will take at least twenty cars off the road at school drop off time while opening up bus travel to other students travelling to Cambourne Village school from St Neots."
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Stephen Hinchley, parent representative, said: "We are delighted that the Combined Authority and bus company Whippet have acted so swiftly in response to our request to change the bus timetable.
"The additional morning bus service will be a lifeline for many pupils (and their parents/carers) who need to get from St Neots to Cambourne Village College every school day."
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