Cambridge: what's changing
Where Cambridge's big changes actually stand — the hosepipe ban, the Mill Road bus gate, the guided-busway speed limit, the dropped congestion charge, the Market Square rebuild and the coming council shake-up — with honest dates.
A few big changes are all happening in Cambridge at once, and it's easy to lose track of where each one stands. Here's the plain state of the ones residents keep having to look up — with honest dates, and a link to the official page for each.
Hosepipe ban
In force nowDeclared by Cambridge Water on 9 July 2026; enforceable from 1am on Friday 17 July 2026 until further notice.
Cambridge sits in the driest corner of Britain and draws almost all its water from a stressed chalk aquifer, so this is the first hosepipe ban here in about 30 years.
While it's on you can't use a hosepipe to water the garden, wash the car, clean windows or patios, or fill a pool, pond or hot tub. A bucket and watering can are fine, and so is water from a water butt. People on the Priority Services Register and those with a medical need can apply for an exemption. Ignoring it can mean a court fine of up to £1,000.