Whippet, now a 105-year-old Cambridgeshire operator, has marked its milestone anniversary with a 25% increase in local bus services and recognition at national industry awards.
The celebrations were held at the Ascendal-owned company’s Swavesey depot and included a visit from Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Dr Nik Johnson, who praised the company’s commitment to the community and its contributions to regional transport.
Service enhancements include improvements to the X2, X3 and 66 routes, with six additional buses added for more frequent services and better connections. This comes as Whippet’s passenger numbers outpace national trends with 15% growth compared to an approximate 10% national rise in bus patronage. Concessionary passenger numbers have also surged by 19% according to Whippet, exceeding a 7% national increase.
The developments fall under a growth strategy introduced under new management in 2023.
The operator’s achievements were celebrated at the CiTTi Awards 2024, where it and the University of Cambridge won the Public Transport Award for the Universal service connecting the latter’s locations throughout the city, through what is believed to be the UK’s first privately-funded zero-emission bus network. The fleet was refreshed in 2023 with a £5 million investment into electric buses and celebrated its first full-year of zero-emission operations in September. It was also recognised with several categories at the UK Bus Awards.
“I was delighted to have joined Whippet to mark its 105th anniversary and to congratulate the team on their recent achievements at the CiTTi Awards 2024,” comments Dr Johnson. “It was a pleasure to meet members of the Whippet team and find out more about their award-winning partnership with the University of Cambridge.
“The Combined Authority’s mission to make buses more reliable, affordable, and accessible to everyone cannot be done in isolation. I look forward to working with Whippet and all bus operators across the region to drive forward this exciting agenda.”
Jonathan Ziebart, Managing Director of Ascendal UK, adds: “I’m delighted to see us recognised at the CiTTi and UK Bus Awards this year. We’re incredibly proud of our partnership with the University of Cambridge, and it’s great to be recognised for the continued growth of our rural routes as well. These awards are a credit to our team who keep our fleet on the road and provide a great service to the community.”
Comments Adam Leishman, Executive Chairman and Founder of Ascendal: “We have now partnered with the University of Cambridge for almost 10 years with one of the best bus services in the country. It is a delight to work with such an historic yet forward-thinking organisation such as the University, with an absolute commitment to the local community – characteristics with which we share and why I believe our partnership has become so strong.
“It’s a great achievement for Whippet to have served the region for 105 years. We are very proud of our heritage, and excited to continue being a reliable and familiar name to the people of Cambridgeshire. Thank you to Mayor Dr Johnson for being such a passionate advocate of buses and joining with us to celebrate this momentous occasion.”
