Cambridge Connect is an initiative established by Dr Colin Harris, Director of the environmental planning and spatial data business Environmental Research & Assessment, located in Cambridge. The Cambridge Connect goal is to help create an enduring system of rapid and sustainable transit that would help address the transport challenges facing Cambridge, while ensuring that the social, educational, economic, environmental, historic and cultural qualities that define the City are maintained and enhanced. Cambridge Connect is independent and not aligned to any political party, organisation or group. We aim to contribute to the discussion about options for medium- to long-term solutions from this independent position, offering viewpoints based on research and data assembled on a scientific basis. We will openly identify any individuals, organisations or companies who indicate their support for our efforts. For the first two years, activities have largely been carried out without direct financial support. Cambridge Connect received financial support from the Combined Authority to enable our contributions to the strategic mass transit study completed in the first quarter of 2018. Without that support, the time and resources necessary to contribute would not have been possible. Cambridge Connect’s work contributed to a key part of the assessment carried out by Steer Davies Gleave on mass transit options, and several chapters of this study focused on Cambridge Connect’s light rail scheme. Cambridge Connect has also received some support from Railfuture to cover the costs of information materials distributed. In due course we hope we will secure full financial support for Cambridge Connect’s work, since this would enable inclusion of more technical studies by specialists and allow much more rapid progress.
Cambridge Connect was formally established as a private company by Colin Harris in order to provide a practical means to manage and administer the work required and being conducted. Colin Harris is the sole Director of that company, and at present there are no employees. Technical work and information resources are commissioned as time and resources allow. In other respects discussions and exchanges of ideas are on an informal and unpaid basis. An Advisory Board was established in 2023, which comprises experts in transport, finance, law, environment and urban planning. The board meets regularly to discuss strategy and practical steps to bring forward our vision.
Cambridge Connect believes detailed technical and economic assessments of options are needed. In particular, investigation of underground Light Rail is viewed as a priority because this is considered – at present – the most practical long-term transit solution for Cambridge without impacting the historic city core. Research is needed to identify and report on systems that have proved effective in other cities. Studies are needed to answer specific questions about transport technologies and models, economics, engineering challenges, and environmental and social concerns to determine properly the viability and time-scales of options. Financial support for this work is needed and Cambridge Connect has called on the government to commit ~£5M in support of the necessary feasibility studies in the Autumn Spending Review in October 2024.
Cambridge Connect shares much in common with concepts being put forward by other organisations and individuals in Cambridge. This is acknowledged and welcomed. There is much common ground, for example, with Cambridge Ahead, Cambridge Futures, Cambridge Past Present Future, Railfuture East Anglia, Smarter Cambridge Transport, the Greater Cambridge Partnership, and the University of Cambridge (e.g. the West Campus and Eddington developments), to name a few. Indeed, Cambridge Connect draws on and embraces many of these ideas.
Cambridge Connect aims to reinforce ideas where there is common ground, such as Park & Ride sites, promotion of rail, use of public transport and improvements to cycle infrastructure, encouragement of walking etc. We all want to achieve a Cambridge future that enhances our economic vitality, the quality of our environment and maximizes our educational, health and social opportunities and services. This is important both for Cambridge residents and for visitors, for the University, for business, and it is important for the United Kingdom.
Cambridge Connect is independent because we want to provide sharper focus on what we see as a key priority: giving serious consideration to a Cambridge Light Rail system, with an underground component in the historic City core.
