Cambridge congestion charge plans fall apart after debate cancelled
The latest proposals would include a £5 charge for people driving at peak times
Plans for a congestion charge in Cambridge have seemingly fallen apart - after a debate on the revised plans was cancelled this afternoon.
The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) has been accused of “failing” people.
The revised plans had been due to be debated for the first time today (7/9), but did not go ahead after political support for the proposed ‘Sustainable Travel Zone’ dropped.
Representatives of the Liberal Democrat group at South Cambridgeshire District Council said they “did not feel able to discuss matters” after their party said it did not support the current plans.
The Labour group at Cambridge City Council also announced on Wednesday that it did not think the current proposals should proceed.
However, some argued that the scrutiny and debate should go ahead.
The revised proposals for the potential Cambridge congestion charge were put forward by the GCP to try and address concerns that had been raised.
The original proposals put forward by the GCP included a weekday £5 charge between 7am and 7pm. This was changed to only applying in peak time hours in the morning and afternoon. Under the new plans, people who create an account to pay the charge would also receive 50 free days, and motorbikes were proposed to be exempt from the charge.
Small businesses in Cambridge are proposed to get a 50 per cent discount for delivery lorries and vans, and a 50 per cent discount is proposed for people on low incomes. Exemptions are also planned for most people who need to go to the hospital by car and for anyone in receipt of carers benefits and mobility PIP.
At the joint assembly meeting this morning, members of the public on both sides of the debate accused the GCP of “failing” the city.
Sara Lightowlers, from Cambs Parents for Sustainable Travel, said: “Politicians have failed everyone in the region. There has been so much focus on the cost to drivers you have failed to account for the cost of inaction on everyone else, because failure will impact by reduced life chances, to employment, and poorer health.”
However, on the other side of the debate, William Bannell described the proposals as ‘unpopular and unworkable’ and said the GCP had ‘totally failed Cambridge and represented an enormous waste of money and time’.
Councillor Heather Williams (Conservative) and Councillor Neil Shailer (Labour), both said they were happy to discuss the proposals.
Cllr Williams said she thought it was “fundamentally wrong” for the papers to go to the GCP board without any scrutiny, highlighting that a decision on the plans had not yet been made.
However, the Liberal Democrat representatives from South Cambridgeshire District Council said they “do not feel able to discuss matters today” as they said the situation had changed.
The assembly suggested the GCP looked into what the “threat and opportunity of starting again” would be, and that the board should ask for commitment once again from the partners councils and organisations to the overall goals of reducing congestion and improving public transport.
Cllr Williams said she wanted the GCP to also look at what could be done without a congestion charge.
A decision on what happens next is now due to be made by the GCP board at a meeting on September 28.