Trafford Green Party supports the introduction of a Congestion Charge provided there is sufficient investment in public transport, cycling facilities and provision for walking in advance of its implementation.
Reducing traffic is a first step to reducing our contribution to climate change. The Congestion Charge should be part of a wider programme designed to do this.
The current proposals involve £3 billion of investment in public transport (75% to be spent before introduction), which will greatly improve the infrastructure. But in some areas the proposals are neither specific nor bold enough:
- Where are the plans to support and develop cycling?
- What about reduced ticket prices for public transport, e.g. family bus tickets?
- What measures will be taken to make walking safer and more attractive?
It should be significantly cheaper to take the less polluting option.
A reduction of cars entering the Congestion Charge zone of just 10% is simply not ambitious enough (The London Congestion Charge achieved 18%.) TGP Transport Policy says, “Let’s aim higher!” |
