Building a truly integrated transport network for Cambridge

Every month I write an article for the Cambridge Independent which is later published on the Cambridge City Council website as my ‘Leader’s Blog’. In September I picked up on my long-term interest in railways and transport strategy.

If you remember the 1970s British Rail slogan “Let the train take the strain”, you may also recall that carriages were old and rattling and signal boxes were magnificent brick buildings by the side of the track. Things have changed a lot since then and, over the last decade in particular, regional railways have been quietly increasing their capacity and comfort while the network has been transformed by technology.

We can see the difference in Cambridge. Platforms have been lengthened across the network so train operators can run longer trains by adding extra carriages. In some cases they have doubled the length of the train, massively increasing passenger capacity. Alongside these physical changes, we have seen significant improvements to train schedules, steadily boosting the frequency of services connecting Cambridge with surrounding areas. And of course we have two new stations.

These visible changes have been made possible by essential work behind the scenes (read more).

Reviewing my first three months

I became the Leader of Cambridge City Council at our meeting on June 1, a little over 100 days ago, and it’s been rather busy but intensely rewarding since then and I have I’ve found it stimulating and, in almost every respect, enjoyable. I’m grateful to the Council officers and staff, and my fellow councillors from all parties, who have given me great support. We  all work hard to deliver for everyone in Cambridge.

A major focus has been making sure we can work together effectively with Labour as a minority adminstration – we have fewer than half of the seats on the council and can only make decisions with support from other councillors. 

I said in June that all the parties, have a vital and active role to play in the future success of Cambridge and I think we have managed to bring everyone together, with cross-party consultation, transparency, and a focus on delivering key community priorities that reflect the city’s evolving political landscape. That doesn’t mean we always agree, but we are working to find compromises and ways to be effective.

Continue reading “Reviewing my first three months”

Running the Cambridge 10K

I’ve run the Cambridge half-marathon four times – the photo is from 2025, but this year I’m going for the 10K as I wasn’t well enough in the Spring. I’ll admit that I’m partly inspired by the sight of PM Andy Burnham completing the Great North Run but I’m looking forward to seeing my fellow runners again and supporting Muscular Dystrophy UK in their important work.

See you on October 4th – all the details are on the Muscular Dystrophy UK website.

Looking at the cobbles

There’s some concern about the issue of the cobbles in the market square and how they should be treated. I wanted to show you some of the examples of what’s there now, or nearby, and what we’re hoping to do.

In this video you can see the current cobbles and an example of what we propose. And before you ask a ‘sett’ is the name for a rectangular or square cobble stone.

What do you think?

Joining the dots between water, food, and a growing city

Each month I write a column for the Cambridge Independent (online here but it will ask you to acccept coookies or pay) that’s also published on the City Council website.

However I believe in a principle known as POSSE, which stands for Publish (on your) Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere. You never know when someone else’s site will go away or add a paywall, so it’s worth having your own copy, under your control.

So here it is.

As the leader of Cambridge City Council, I often find myself reflecting on the issues that keep us up at night, not just as politicians, but as neighbours, parents, and members of a vibrant, interconnected community. And the recent hot weather, which has made it hard to sleep for many of us, has given me lots of time to consider the connections between climate change and two of the issues which got me into local politics in the first place – water and food.

Before I became a councillor I studied food policy and campaigned for food security. In 2024 the council’s support for the Cambridge Sustainable Food Partnership helped the city obtain a Gold Award from Sustainable Food Places, recognising Cambridge as leading the way in transforming local food systems to better serve our communities, the environment and the local economy.

However, it was always clear that water supplies in Cambridge were limited and precious, and the needs of farmers, developers and residents sometimes came into conflict. In 2019 I organised awater crisis forum with experts and local people to talk about the wider issues of how to get enough water to support the city as it developed, and the use of water for farming was one of the issues we discussed.

Continue reading “Joining the dots between water, food, and a growing city”