A TOWN councillor has called for Chatteris to be included in a new bus service which could provide Fenland with a vital link to the Cambridge Guided Busway.

Cllr James Carney wrote to NE Cambs MP Steve Barclay to suggest that Chatteris could be included on Stagecoach’s proposed new service between Peterborough and St Ives.

Mr Barclay has supported the idea, writing to Andy Campbell, Managing Director for Stagecoach East, to insist that it would “encourage greater use of the guided busway by Fenland residents”.

Mr Barclay wrote: “I see the guided busway as an important transport link for Fenland residents wishing to travel to Cambridge and I believe it has potential to be extended to Chatteris and then onto March and Wisbech, opening up Fenland.

“This is an area which suffers from poor rural transport links. I have had preliminary discussions with the leaders of Fenland District and Cambridgeshire County Councils on this subject.”

Cllr Carney has highlighted the issue on community website ShapeYourPlace and called for residents of the town to rally in support of the scheme.

He said: “Let’s be quite clear - it is only a proposal at the moment and if Stagecoach decide to put on such a service, then the nitty-gritty about service details can be discussed later on.

“Here’s hoping we can all show that we would support such a scheme, not least by reducing the need to endure traffic jams and the like every time we want to go into Peterborough or Cambridge.”