It has recently been announced that the X3 service provided by Whippet Coaches running through Papworth Everard has been cancelled. Papworth is a developing village with a thriving community made up from people of all different backgrounds, with different abilities and of various ages. The village also holds some great establishments such as the Royal Papworth Hospital. This petition aims to make councils, companies and other users aware of how the withdrawal of the X3 service could impact the community. 

The removal of such a salient service could have detrimental effects on the community, for example:

1) The staff of Papworth Hospital / Royal Papworth hospital -

As is well known, Papworth Hospital is making its move to the Addenbrookes campus. This will force a plethora of staff to have to travel to work, and for those who do not drive the X3 service was proving to be / would in the future become the sole way for many to travel to work. This could mean that some people have to spend an amount of money that is impossible to maintain on taxi's to Cambridge or to Cambourne to catch a bus to Cambridge, or in the worst case leave work all together.

2) Students of Hills Road/ Long Road / Cambridge and Huntingdon Regional Colleges - 

As a student myself, my education comes forefront and it is necessary for my own, along with many others, future aspirations and job prospects. With Papworth already being classed in some areas with low POLAR 3 scores ( a measurement for the education and participation in education for young people ), cutting the service could increase this significantly. Knowing that there is a strong possibility that myself and my peers may be unable to get into college  - where we have worked so hard to develop in our abilities - is a horrifying prospect. In addition, students classed as vulnerable or living in ACORN level 4 or 5 areas for deprivation in Papworth will be put at further risk of a lack of an education. Cutting all services to Cambridge via Papworth will students unable to travel, and could cut access to fantastic Sixth Form Colleges, potentially deterring students from applying here and having a solid education. 

3) The disabled community -

Papworth is known to have a strong and growing disabled community. The village provides essential aid that many disabled people could otherwise not receive, and prevents the isolation of some of the most vulnerable people in our community. Many people within this community may not be able to drive, leaving them with only the bus service to be able to move in and out of the village to maintain jobs and social lives. Removal of services could place these people back into a form of isolation, which would be frustrating for many considering the amount of progress Papworth has made in making sure that everyone in the community has the support they need. 

These and many other groups including the elderly, the secondary students, people working in Cambridge and those who just want a day out will be left with no public transport. For many this simply means they will not be able to get in nor out of the village, and that is a fact that we must acknowledge. 

I recognise there is still an 8 service, however this runs at times that would not get the majority of passengers into work nor college. I am aware that Hills and Long Road may be providing a form of transport and I am hopeful for this, but it unlikely that it will be affordable, as the last one was priced at £990 and did not go ahead as students could not afford it, and that I know of a suggestion for a bus to Cambourne to catch the Citi 4 which is a good idea, but many will have to take this service, then the Citi 4 and then the U which is wholly unaffordable and time consuming ( almost certainly nearing two hours ). I also must state that I know that this is a private company that has failed to get financial support from the council, however I believe it to be unacceptable that there be no transport safety net in place in case this situation does not get resolved in the coming weeks before cancellation. 

Passenger or non-passenger, please come together and sign this petition to make people aware of this issue. I aim for this petition to push for the implementation of a service running from Papworth to Cambridge and back. 

Thank you for your support,

Grace