Busway contractors BAM Nuttall have advised Cambridgeshire County Council that they expect to hand over the track between St Ives and Cambridge at the end of October.

This news means that, provided BAM Nuttall achieve this date, Cambridgeshire County Council will be able to open the busway within a month of the handover once final testing and trials are complete.

A BAM Nuttall spokesman said: "Planning issues with the noise barriers at Histon are now being dealt with and all parties involved have committed themselves to deliver the northern section of the busway for this date."

Cambridgeshire County Councillor Roy Pegram, Cabinet Member for Growth, Infrastructure and Strategic Planning, said: "I am as frustrated as anyone that the busway will not open sooner. It is good news that we have reassurances from BAM Nuttall that they will be able to complete the work by the end of October and we look forward to it opening. It is going to give people a reliable, fast and frequent service and will be the best way to travel."

Bus operators have been informed of the news and have welcomed the announcement.

The Council plans to give some members of the public the chance to try out a longer stretch of the busway before it opens. When the busway opens it will take just 20 minutes to travel by bus along the track from St Ives to the Science Park in Cambridge with buses gliding along at up to 60mph.