Today Conservative Group Leaders from across Cambridgeshire have written to the Chair and Vice Chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership calling for them to publicly declare that the Liberal Democrat and Labour run Greater Cambridge Partnership Board will drop all notions of congestion charging without delay, and that the Board agrees not to contemplate such charging while there are no real reliable and affordable local transport alternatives in place, because to do so could cost hard working residents £3,600 a year via what has been dubbed as a stealth tax on Cambridgeshire residents.
The letter follows a motion at South Cambridgeshire District Council on 22nd February proposed by Cllr Heather Williams (Conservative) opposing the introduction of Congestion Charging where the Liberal Democrat majority group voted it down. A second motion yesterday (15th March) at Cambridgeshire County Council proposed by Cllr Alan Sharp (Conservative) also opposing the introduction of Congestion Charging at this time was also voted down by the Liberal Democrat / Labour / Independent coalition.
The Liberal Democrat and Labour Councillors in Cambridgeshire refuse to take congestion charging off the table and are determined to continue with proposals to introduce yet another cost that will burden hard working residents that live beyond the city of Cambridge even further.
Conservatives across Cambridgeshire will continue to fight against this stealth tax and stand up for hard working residents that do not deserve to be financially punished in this way.
Cllr Anna Bailey, Leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council and Leader of the Conservative Group said: "Thousands of residents in East Cambridgeshire require access to Cambridge on a daily basis, for work, for education and for healthcare. Many residents also like to visit Cambridge for leisure, culture and entertainment. East Cambridgeshire is a rural area with severely limited, or in some cases, no access to public transport and where car ownership is a necessity, not a choice.
“Conservatives at East Cambs District Council are united in their opposition to this punitive tax which will hit the least well off the hardest. We regret the Labour Mayor's decision to cancel the Cambridge Autonomous Metro (CAM) which would have provided an attractive alternative to the car, and the benefits of which would have spread across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
“We are disgusted that the Liberal Democrat led County Council and the Liberal Democrat controlled Greater Cambridge Partnership are seeking to impose this on East Cambridgeshire residents with disingenuous efforts at consultation - which is what they are trying to do - it is abhorrent."
