Cambridge congestion charge cited as Tories win by-election

The Conservatives have cited a proposed congestion charge as a reason behind winning their their first seat on a city council since 2012.

Mohamed Delowar Hossain won Tuesday's by-election in the King's Hedges ward on Cambridge City Council.

The vacancy occurred after Labour's ex-deputy leader, Alex Collis, resigned over the plan to make drivers by tolls.

Mr Hossain said he wanted to "raise people's voices about the congestion charge".

Labour remains in overall control of the council.

Proposals for a sustainable travel zone (STZ), covering almost all of the city, have split residents.

The scheme has been put forward by the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP), a body that includes three local councils, including Cambridge City Council, businesses and the University of Cambridge.

The partnership is proposing that car users pay a daily charge of £5 if they drive within the STZ between 07:00 and 19:00 on weekdays, while van drivers would pay £10 and HGV drivers £50.

Before the poll, Ms Collis told the BBC that her opposition to the congestion charge was central to her decision to step down and she was concerned residents were not being listened to.

Mr Hussain got 622 votes and Labour's Zarina Anwar got 598, with the Lib Dems' Jamie Dalzell on 418 and the Green candidate Elizabeth May on 142.

He said he was strongly opposed to proposals for a congestion charge and said people he met on the doorstep had voiced concerns about the cost.

The Labour council leader, Mike Davey, said he was "disappointed" by the result.

The three councils have ruled out an official referendum on the plans to deal with traffic congestion, but the proposed charge was a key topic for many voters in the by-election and it is thought it was also key to results for the city council elections in May.

Although the Conservatives did not actually win any seats then, they got their highest vote share in recent years in every seat, and came very close to winning in a couple of wards after their consistent opposition to the STZ.

Those gains came as district councils in neighbouring Suffolk saw Green candidates increase their vote, and take outright control of a council in England for the first time.

Analysis

By Hannah Olsson, BBC Cambridgeshire political reporter

This by-election was seen by many as an unofficial referendum on plans for a congestion charge for the city.

The Conservative win won't change the balance of power at the Guildhall, but campaigners against the proposed charge certainly hope it will have a different impact, sending a message that if councillors continue to back the proposals, they'll be punished at the ballot box.

During the campaign, other parties argued that they thought changes were needed to the current plans, but it was the "no congestion charge" message from the Conservatives that cut through, and turned what was previously a Labour stronghold blue.

This could be a one off, as by-election results often are, but there is also a lot of anger in Cambridge about the charge, so the local elections next May could be very interesting.

Mr Hossain, a taxi driver, added: "I will be very active, I will work with all the community, and the whole of Cambridgeshire, whose voice was not heard and I want to raise their voice about the congestion charge, the road closure, the potholes."

Mr Davey said: "As you will probably imagine we are going to reflect on what has happened and have a think, because there are clearly some key issues that we need to have a real proper think about."

In a tweet, Anthony Browne, the Conservative MP for South Cambridgeshire, said the party's first win in Cambridge in more than a decade "marks a massive voter rebellion against the hated Lib Dem and Labour congestion charge".

The by-election turnout was 26.7% compared to a 31% turnout in May.

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