Dr. Nik Johnson, the newly elected Mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), has confirmed that he is scrapping the £2 billion Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro (CAM) project. 

The CAM project was approved in 2019, with an aim to bring “high quality public transport to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough”. It received backing from the CPCA, with James Palmer, Johnson’s predecessor, stating that the project was “one of the most pioneering transport infrastructure projects seen in the UK”.

The project would have seen the introduction of driverless pods in Cambridgeshire to help ease travel and boost the economy. The vehicles would have been comparable to trams and powered by electric batteries. 

The project would have also necessitated tunnels to be built under Cambridge.

Johnson described the project as “foolish”, and believes that it does not offer good value for money. 

Johnson told the Cambridge Independent: “I want to start my term as mayor with a clean sheet and consider all transport options with a fresh eye. 

“I want to concentrate on making more immediate positive transport changes for the betterment of residents across Cambridgeshire.

“In principle, I’m not totally opposed to a rapid system project but this has all the hallmarks of being an expensive folly and a potential financial blackhole.”

He added that he plans to develop a “fully integrated, greener, countywide transport system.”

This news comes following Johnson’s successful election as Mayor of CPCA, after securing the win against James Palmer, the incumbent Conservative candidate, in the second round of vote counting.