But it is a tree and probably rather old. And in a bizarre reversal of roles the builders of the guided bus found themselves on the side of the defenders of the environment last week. It was a week in which is seems that trees were being demolished all over Cambridge, including several by the guided bus people themselves in Trumpington, but this one tree seems to have survived.

The email traffic during the week was at times frantic with, on one side, those responsible for protecting trees and those who often make political capital by chaining themselves to them apparently bent on removing an oak tree in ‘block K1’ in Orchard Park. And on the other side were the builders of the guided bus, not normally known for its benign effect on the environment, fiercely defending their right to leave it in place!

 This all came together at the CGB liaison forum on Wednesday evening when drawings were produced and to much relief all round it was agreed that the guided bus builders and the council tree officers would together inspect the tree and confirm that it would indeed not need to be felled.

Cllr David Jenkins who chaired the meeting said: ‘it was a triumph for local activism, rapid communication and common sense. These forums ensure that whether or not residents agree with the decision to build the guided bus they can nonetheless influence the impact is has on their local communities’.