Call for Bristol congestion charge vote
Opponents of congestion charges are calling for the people of Bristol to be given a chance to vote on the issue – on local elections day, June 4.
Tory calls for a Bristol referendum have been rejected by the city council before.
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But now the party says holding a poll on the same day as city council and European Parliament elections would save much of the cost.
A referendum in Manchester late last year saw congestion charging roundly rejected by the electorate.
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And local Conservatives believe Bristol voters would also give road tolls the thumbs-down.
Tory Parliamentary candidate for Bristol North West, Charlotte Leslie, has launched an online petition, which has already collected 400 names.
It calls for a poll on June 4. "With other elections on the same days in the city, there would be negligible extra cost," said Ms Leslie.
She told the Bristol Post: "It is unfair that people in Manchester should have a say about the introduction of a road toll, but Bristol people do not.
"There are arguments for and against the road toll. We all want improved public transport and easier road access in the city.
"It would be very little extra effort, and hardly any extra cost, for the council to hold a referendum at the same time as the local and European Parliament elections in June.
"I cannot see any argument against letting the people of Bristol have their say over the future of transport in their city."
But Councillor Mark Bradshaw, executive member for transport, said the Tories were playing "party political games".
He said Bristol City Council, as one of the West of England authorities (with North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset), had an option to bid for the government's Transport Innovation Fund (TIF).
This would bring around £840 million to the West to fund improved transport options for over one million people.
"TIF offers councils a unique opportunity to transform local public transport systems to a very high standard, including local rail provision, and improve the options for our residents and businesses," said Mr Bradshaw.
"Improvements need to be made before demand management could be introduced."
Mr Bradshaw said: "Bristol (and the other West of England authorities) have not yet decided on whether to bid to the Transport Innovation Fund.
"But we are not simply going to reject the possibility given the demand for better, more integrated public transport and the need for a huge injection of funding to pay for this.
"Though the West of England Partnership is exploring various models for congestion charging, which could be part of this bid if it occurs, it is a long way from any firm proposals.
"A referendum on the matter would serve only to distract focus and energy from bringing forward the rapid transit proposals and in competing for enhanced funding for our sub-region through the latest Regional Funding Advice (RFA).
"The West of England RFA proposals include further rapid transit routes, the Portishead rail service, and various road improvements to relieve congestion.
"This is our priority. Those who call for a referendum seem to forget that people have grown impatient for real change in our public transport choices and that superficial party political game playing is not the answer.
"The needs of Bristol and the sub-region are too important to be treated as a sideshow for political advantage."
Comments
by graham367, Manchester
Sunday, February 22 2009, 10:03PM
“Every person in Bristol has a right for a referendum its your right, just like Manchester we told them no, the councils have created congestion with stupid traffic calming features, bus lanes, traffic lights, all working against you,
Keep putting pressure on these persons till they give up or vote them out.”
by King Canute, Greenie Land
Wednesday, February 11 2009, 2:59PM
“The tide's coming in - "Back I say"......”
by Glenn Vowles, vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com
Wednesday, February 11 2009, 2:52PM
“'Within a few decades cars will not be polluting so there goes the argument. The choice will then be simple, which is quicker/cheaper, public transport or cars? ' (Craig)
Ah, the dream of a technofix, just like that unsinkable ship Titanic and all that 'too cheap to meter' nuclear electricity we've been using for years...er...oh. Dream on Craig!
In any case its not just emissions that make car use unsustainable. There's the increasingly scarce space for roads and parking and all the land that is used up. Then there are the traffic management difficulties with sheer numbers of vehicles and there's road safety....If cars are considered 'clean' this could rebound on us, increasing car use and make congestion problems even worse !”
by bob, bristol
Wednesday, February 11 2009, 12:23AM
“if only life was that easy rob, prehaps he has a partner that also works somewhere no near where he does, maybe he has kids that are settled at a school, maybe he wants to be near his parents who look after his kids or need looking after maybe he moved for his last job then got this job and his house is worth less than his mortgage. Don't think people would choose to drive if there was a better alternative.”
by rob, Knowle
Tuesday, February 10 2009, 11:26PM
“To Julraj,
You drive from City Centre to Radstock every day. Why don' you move there then there will be no need to use your car. I moved to an area that now means I can walk to work every day. No problems in the snow, no need to worry about the rush hour etc. Too many people can't think outside the box.”
by craig, bristol
Tuesday, February 10 2009, 6:34PM
“"Can anyone explain why a city that has fewer traffic jams, public transport that runs regularly and on time (because it's not stuck in traffic and there's demand for it) and less pollution is a bad thing? "
er can anybody explain why paying more to sit in the same traffic jams is a good thing.
Within a few decades cars will not be polluting so there goes the argument. The choice will then be simple, which is quicker/cheaper, public transport or cars?
The congestion charge is a short sighted idea which in the long term will only serve as a replacement for lost revenue from fuel tax.
Who does this target?
Who will be the people who leave there cars at home??”
by Gregg, Bristol
Tuesday, February 10 2009, 5:49PM
“Unless he gets a full and fair hearing this proposal will be howled down by cynical and partisan opponents.
Cynic, Redland
Rather than the awfully vocal green minority then?”
by Cynic, Redland
Tuesday, February 10 2009, 5:24PM
“The newspaper story is partly about a Tory demand to have a vote and partly about a not properly explained government incentive to invest in transport improvements.
Not surprised the responses are so confused.
The bus system is run by private companies, supervised at arms length by a transport 'regulator' and not in any way answerable to Bristol Council. And thus not at all influenced by voters' concerns.
Big supermarkets are located where they can only easily be reached by car. Nowadays very few streets have enough shops for people to do a 'local' shop because they have been crushed by supermarkets.
Inevitable then that people will be very reluctant to change from car to public transport because, if nothing else, they will not be able to do their household shopping except at a hefty inconvenience to themselves.
And yet, and yet, in the cold light of day unless we do reduce car journeys we will stifle our city even more. The generations to follow us will have an even bigger problem to solve than the shortsighted, commercially advantageous transport policies that have got us into this situation.
One change in attitudes is needed above all others - we must have an accessible (both in price as well as in routes and frequency) transport system. And gradually move to a more local focus for household shopping.
It may well take 15 years. But if we do not then we will be paying an impossible price.
If a congestion charge exists - plus a fully planned and integrated move to a co-ordinated public transport system - then we may just about turn this around.
Sadly, I doubt it. This is a selfish, me first society. Raw commercial interests have fostered that for more than a few generations now. And 'the people' have bought it big time.
Fair play to Cllr Bradsahw for trying, in a few words, to contribute to the debate. Unless he gets a full and fair hearing this proposal will be howled down by cynical and partisan opponents.”
by I.R KITTEH, Bristol
Tuesday, February 10 2009, 4:14PM
“I'm all for a CC, aslong as those who live in the zone don't have to pay. But a quicker and easier way of sloving som eof the traffic problems is to get rid of the showcase bus lanes..”
by green bristol blog, blogspot.com
Tuesday, February 10 2009, 4:07PM
“Bluebaldee,
Bradshaw could easily have said that there would be a referendum when the time was right, as you seem agree there should, but he didn't.
One can only conclude that they hope to dodge having a referendum on the issue, which is not realistic politically, given that other cities have had referendums and the people of Bristol expect the same.
The Council are just going to have to persuade a majority of people to vote for CC. That's going to take a lot of persuading, especially if the carrot is nothing more exciting than bendy buses running on concrete tracks and a skeleton rail network calling itself a Metro.”