Louise Haigh comments on the government’s road scheme announcements
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Louise Haigh MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport
Secretary, commenting on the government’s announcement on
updated guidance for local road schemes, said: “The Conservatives’
latest attempt to dictate to local communities how to run their
streets is a blatant and desperate attempt to distract people from
a government that has run out of road. "All this ongoing
Conservative chaos has a real cost for working people and our
public services. “Working people...Request free trial
Louise Haigh MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on the government’s announcement on updated guidance for local road schemes, said: “The Conservatives’ latest attempt to dictate to local communities how to run their streets is a blatant and desperate attempt to distract people from a government that has run out of road. "All this ongoing Conservative chaos has a real cost for working people and our public services. “Working people want answers on the soaring cost of living, the woeful state of our transport infrastructure, and how the Tories are planning to fund their £46 billion of unfunded spending commitments that threaten the health service and risk the state pension as we know it. “Labour will act on the real priorities of drivers by tackling soaring car insurance costs and the traffic clogging up our roads. And we will leave decisions over local roads where they belong: in the hands of local communities.” Ends Notes:
1) Save drivers hundreds of pounds by cracking down on
unfair car insurance costs The latest statistics from the ONS show car insurance costs have risen 77% in just two years between Jan 2022 and January 2024.
Examples of Tory hypocrisy on roads:
There are numerous examples of Tory Councils that have wide scale 20mph speed limits. Cornwall Council for instance is undergoing a multi-million pound (£3.8m) countywide rollout of 20mph speed limits in built up areas. And in Wales, the leader of the Conservatives in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, has previously supported the introduction of a 20mph speed limit in built-up areas.
Several serving Government Ministers have either considered or actively endorsed the introduction of road pricing for drivers, including a serving Transport Minister who suggested “all drivers should pay” such a charge. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak As Chancellor Rishi Sunak reportedly drew up plans to introduce a pay-by-the-mile road pricing system: https://news.sky.com/story/road-pricing-sunak-eyes-40bn-tax-threat-from-electric-vehicle-drive-12133772 Transport Minister Huw Merriman Serving Transport Minister Huw Merriman has repeatedly endorsed road pricing. In February 2022 Merriman supported introducing road pricing, saying: "The more you drive and the heavier your vehicle, the more you pay. All drivers should pay”: https://www.huwmerriman.org.uk/news/driving-policy-political-traffic-jams In October 2021 Merriman called for “dynamic road pricing” to be introduced in London: https://twitter.com/HuwMerriman/status/1452555779551150087 Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Claire Coutinho Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has repeatedly called for a “distanced-based levy” for Heavy Goods Vehicles: https://www.clairecoutinho.com/news/update-hgvs-smallfield-burstow-horne-and-outwood-0 Treasury Minister Baroness Vere In June 2022 serving Roads Minister Baroness Vere suggested road pricing is an "opportunity" to address the "challenge" of electric vehicles: https://www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk/Baroness-Vere-celebrates-Traffex-and-transport-opportunities/9738#
In July 2023 Rishi Sunak ordered a review of Low-Traffic Neighbourhood schemes being introduced by local authorities. Yet low-traffic neighbourhood schemes were pioneered and supported by former Tory Prime Minister Boris Johnson and then-Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister:
July 2021 - I support councils, of all parties, which are trying to promote cycling and bus use. And if you are going to oppose these schemes, you must tell us what your alternative is, because trying to squeeze more cars and delivery vans on the same roads and hoping for the best is not going to work. Almost exactly six years ago, in east London, we began the first of the transformational low-traffic neighbourhood schemes I funded as mayor. There was intense controversy […] But the council stuck it out, thank goodness.
Grant Shapps, Defence Secretary:
May 2020: As part of £250m in ‘Emergency Active Travel Funding’ Shapps said: “Popup bike lines, wider pavements, cycle and bus only streets – all examples of what people will start to see more of” He promised “at least one zero emission city with its centre restricted to bikes and electric vehicles only” And he boasted that “you don’t have to be a cyclist to benefit from society as a whole switching to cycling and walking. To give you an idea of what that meant, if cycling increased by 5% it would mean 8 million fewer car journeys”. March 2020: In a foreword to ‘Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge’ Shapps promised: “Public transport and active travel will be the natural first choice for our daily activities. We will use our cars less” Richard Holden, Chair of the Conservative Party:
November 2022: “The Department has no remit to intervene in matters of local democratic decision making. Decisions on what traffic management measures to provide, including low traffic neighbourhoods such as the one that my hon. Friend talked about in Latchford—specifically in Westy—are entirely a matter for local authorities such as Warrington to make” Rachel Maclean, Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party:
November 2022: “Low traffic neighbourhoods are a collection of measures, including road closures to motor traffic, designed to remove the rat-running traffic that can blight residential roads. They deliver a wide range of benefits for local communities” Baroness Vere, Treasury Minister:
July 2023: During a debate on low traffic neighbourhoods, the Baroness said: It is not just about journey time changes but increasing the number of people walking and cycling, and looking at modal shift and levels of car ownership. I cannot conceive of my local town centre still having cars in it: it is a hugely thriving town centre because it is pedestrianised.” |