Plans for Cambridge congestion charge will NOT go ahead
The original proposals included a weekday £5 charge between 7am and 7pm
The Cambridge Labour Group has said it does not think the current congestion charge proposals should proceed.
The party, which leads Cambridge City Council, said change was needed and urged all political leaders to come together to work on a plan.
The revised proposals for a ‘Sustainable Travel Zone’ (STZ) in Cambridge, where a road charge could apply are due to be debated for the first time tomorrow (September 7).
The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) put forward the revised plans 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 has been 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 are now 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 50pc discount is proposed for people on low incomes. Exemptions are also planned for most people who need to go to hospital by car and for anyone in receipt of carers benefits and mobility PIP.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the City Council Labour Group said: “Over the past year, Cambridge City Council Labour Group has considered the GCP’s Sustainable Travel Zone (STZ) proposals, listening to our residents and offering robust scrutiny at every point in the consultation. While we have been looking forward to further discussion, we do not believe the current proposals on the STZ should proceed.
“We are facing an undeniable challenge, which we as politicians all have a duty to respond to. Local authorities are being forced to find solutions while the Tory government turns a blind eye to the needs of communities.
“We urgently need radical improvements to our public transport network which is falling apart following years of cuts, and must act immediately to combat the worsening climate crisis and its impact on our health.”
They added: “Cambridge Labour has consistently maintained that any scheme we would support must be fair for residents, and we still have reservations about the proposals, including the extent of the mitigations for people on low incomes and the impact of a peak-hours only charge.
“We are also painfully aware of the financial difficulties residents have been facing following years of Tory austerity and the ongoing cost of living crisis.
“At the same time, tackling the climate crisis and improving public transport are key to our Labour principles, and it is imperative we reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and tackle congestion.”
The group said it believed public transport should be in public hands, and said they will work with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor Dr Nik Johnson on his aims to introduce bus franchising.
They said this work was “essential” for the economic growth in the region to be “managed carefully and sustainably”.
They said: “We hope that political interests won’t make it difficult for us to face these challenges, and we urge all the relevant political leaders to join with us to bring together a plan for the future that works not only for our residents and businesses but for those who come to our city to work, shop or study.
“We would like to thank the GCP officers for all their work to date, and all residents, organisations, businesses and trade unions for their thoughtful and essential contributions throughout the process.”