WHY I WILL NOT SUPPORT MAYOR PALMER's CAM METRO PROJECT

“At €92m per single track kilometre the CAM costs will be greater than Crossrail and HS2 -
which costs €78m/STK
“It is three times more expensive than the cost per single track kilometre than the Edinburgh
system and €18m PSM than Manchester.”
“I want to concentrate on making more immediate positive changes for the betterment of
residents across Cambridgeshire.
“Better transport and more social and affordable homes. These will be my priorities - not trying
to deliver a hugely expensive legacy burden left by Mayor Palmer.
“I believe in being honest and upfront with voters and therefore I have to say it straight out - I will
not support this project. I see no benefit in proceeding with the project as it stands - but lots of
negatives.”
Dr Johnson, who was speaking to Labour members in Peterborough and NE Cambs via a
zoom meeting, said he was concerned about how the project would be funded with a mixture of
central government, cash, private investors, local contributors and “land capture.”
He claimed the idea of paying for a system by needing to build 60,000 extra homes along the
route - including 7,000 new houses on land east of Linton in South Cambs just announced by
Mayor Palmer, just didn’t make sense .
“This is being sold as a project to make the county greener, to get people off the roads but in
effect it will be adding 60,000 more house in garden villages and towns , more cars, and more
concrete on our green fields.
“This is more about opening up land for developers to profit than providing a vital service for
residents.”
Dr Nik Johnson Labour’s mayoral candidate has had several meetings with Greater Manchester
mayor Andy Burnham who is leading the way on bus franchising and innovative bus transport.
Dr Nik Johnson said: “Manchester’s buses being brought back into public control is simply the
best news.
“I am campaigning all the way for similar plans for the Combined Authority of Cambridgeshire
and Peterborough- it is top of the tree for my Mayoral pledges.
“As mayor I will provide a service that is reliable, affordable, sustainable, accessible and
accountable.”