The alliance of Brighton and Hove’s opposition parties came together once more last night to safeguard a commitment to get people out of their cars.
The Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors voted to save the sustainable transport section of the city’s Sustainable Community Strategy, which can be found at p68 of this document, at the full council meeting last night.
Developed by a partnership chaired by the managing director of the Brighton and Hove Bus Company Roger French, its aim is to promote low carbon transport choices, improve health, combat air and noise pollution and congestion and improve safety.
It says: “Nationally, there has been a trend towards increased car use although this has slowed inrecent years. Unless a range of measures are introduced to address this there is likely to be worsening congestion and air quality by 2026, particularly when accompanied by anticipated future development in the city.”
These included “fiscal measures” (which the Tories say is code for congestion charging), car-free developments and restrictions on the movements of vehicles within the city centre.
Labour leader Gill Mitchell said: “Transport must be at the heart of any sustainable and environmental programme for this city
“It is incredible and irresponsible that the Conservative Councillors wanted to delete all of the transport policies in this city wide sustainable strategy and put nothing in its place.
“How can community representatives ever trust that this Conservative administration means what it says about taking their views in to account when making policy. They simply are not listening.”
However, the Tory council leader Mary Mears flatly denied there was any intention of scrapping the policy entirely.
She said: ”
We recognise that 95% of the policies in this document – such as around promoting new businesses and providing skills and training for young people – will be hugely beneficial to the City as a whole.
“However, we do have fundamental problems with parts of the transport elements. As Conservatives, we do not believe that councils should be in the business of trying to impose particular modes of travel upon people.
“Many people in this city rely upon their vehicles to get around and do business – we should be facilitating that wherever possible, not discouraging it.”
However, this was one of the few points the members of the coalition agreed on. A deepening rift between the Labour and the Greens was evident in tweets exchanged between Green councillor Jason Kitcat and the Brighton and Hove Labour Party.
Before the meeting, Coun Kitcat tweeted: “Gearing up for full council – so far it looks to be rather a contentious one with Labour & Conservatives working together to force things”
BHLabour responded: “It is completely unfounded comments like that which makes for unnecessarily negative council meetings,” later adding: “Claims of coalitions of Labour and other parties are untrue. Greens, Lib Dems and Tories have voted with us tonight – hardly a love in.”
