An operator has denied claims it has withdrawn its winning bids for seven subsidised bus services across Cambridgeshire.
Stagecoach East says the decision to retender the routes, which were due to start on 29 November, was taken by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
Stagecoach East managing director Darren Roe
In an extraordinary statement, Stagecoach East said it was “saddened” to be made aware of a Combined Authority press release, which stated an unmanned bus operator had “withdrawn all of its winning bids to run the final seven precept-funded bus services”.
“Stagecoach East is proud of its consistent track record in working in partnership with CPCA, to help deliver the mayor’s vision for bus services,” the bus operator said.
The statement continues: “We have not withdrawn from the tender process, the decision to retender the routes was taken by the CPCA.”
Stagecoach says it would also like to “clarify” that inconsistencies in the award letter caused several delays in the conclusion of the contract and that it “worked at pace with the CPCA to try and resolve these”.
“These delays and then the subsequent Government announcement on the National Insurance increase (which pushed up significantly the cost of provision) meant we asked for an increase in the tender prices to be considered,” Stagecoach said.
The company said it also identified concerns over the legality of operating a tendered service where a commercial one exists.
The routes are part of a package of 53 services funded through the mayoral precept. Some 38 routes across the region are already up and running, with a further four Tiger on Demand services set to launch this weekend, covering Fenland, East Cambridgeshire, and two in South Cambridgeshire.
The routes affected by retendering process are:
Tiger 1 – Huntingdon to Cambridge
Tiger 2/3 – Cambridge North and South connections
Tiger 4/5 Soham to Cambridge and Newmarket to Cambridge
Tiger 7 – Chatteris to Wisbech
Tiger 9 – Peterborough Orbital
Darren Roe, managing director of Stagecoach East said: “We remain committed to working with CPCA to deliver more bus services in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough but need the time and clarity in the procurement process to do this.”