Mothers in Cambridge start campaign to support congestion charge

A group of mothers have gathered together to support a controversial traffic scheme which could see a Cambridge congestion charge brought in.

The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) is proposing a £5 charge to be introduced by 2026-27.

But it has sparked opposition from shopkeepers who fear it will hit trade.

Elisabeth Whitebread, from Parents for the Cambridge Sustainable Travel Zone, said it was fair that drivers pay for the pollution their car's produce.

The group is holding a protest meeting at Parker's Piece in Cambridge city centre on Saturday, which was also the site of a demonstration against the charging plans in November.

The charge would affect private vehicles across the whole city, including Addenbrooke's Hospital and the rest of the BioMedical Campus, between 07:00 and 19:00 on weekdays.

The plan would also see £50m of investment to expand the bus network and improved walking and cycling routes.

Cambridgeshire County Council would have final approval of any plans.

Ms Whitebread told BBC Politics East: "Cambridge is great place to raise children, but we need a transport system fit for the 21st Century.

"There are no easy answers to this sort of thing, and of course the charges are going to come in, in a staggered way. There will be upfront investment before the charge comes in.

"I do think it is fair that people who are driving and causing pollution and congestion are the ones who should pay for it. The council has signed up to a climate emergency so it is really time for them to 'walk the walk'."

Elissa Meschini, Labour councillor and chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership which is looking to put forward the plans, said: "We have to come clean about the challenges we face. All we ask at this point is that people appreciate the extent of the challenge we have to address. We haven't made a final decision and it's important people understand it isn't an easy solution."

The GCP said the scheme would cut the number of car trips in Cambridge by 50% .

John Whitelegg, a visiting professor at Liverpool John Moores University who has studied congestion charge schemes, said: "I'm surprised to hear the 50% figure.

"I think that might prove to be wildly out of line with the outcome."

But Prof Whitelegg, who is a former Green Party spokesperson in sustainable transport, believed congestion charge schemes are the way forward, and people who originally oppose it will come around to supporting it in the end.

"There's a pattern. There is initial opposition, then reluctantly accepting the scheme is being done, and then really liking it and everyone finding the advantages of it," he said.

But the plans have provoked strong opposition.

Clare King, 64, who has lived in Cambridge for 30 years and drives across the city every day for her job in a supermarket, said: "Rather than the 10 minute car journey, I would need to walk to a bus stop, wait for a bus, catch two buses, then get off a bus near work and then walk to work.

"That journey would take me between 45 and 50 minutes, provided the buses came pretty quickly.

"We need to improve the buses. We don't need to do it through treating residents as cash cows."

Neil Mackay's family has been running a hardware store in Cambridge for more than 100 years, selling items including heavy duty metal piping, tools, ladders, workwear and gardening equipment.

"The sorts of materials we supply. You can't take those on a bus," he said.

"If I was a tradesman coming into Cambridge and I wanted some materials and I had a choice between coming down to see my old friend Neil Mackay in East Road and paying £10, or going to an alternative supplier who might be outside the zone - of which there are plenty - who has similarly priced goods, which is he going to do?"

You can see more on this story on Politics East on BBC One on Sunday, 11 December at 10:00 GMT, with it also available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.

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