Congestion still major issue in council election

Future housing developments in Cambridge are a major issue for voters

Fourteen councillors will be elected to a city council on 2 May in the first elections since plans for a congestion charge in the area were dropped.

Cambridge City Council is run by Labour and one third of seats are up for election this year.

The proposals for a congestion charge in Cambridge were abandoned last year after local politicians withdrew their support.

In 2023 the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, announced plans to build 150,000 new homes near the city by 2050.

In last year's council elections the Conservative Party, who opposed the congestion charge, saw an increase in votes - although the party failed to win any seats. This rise went against the national picture where the Conservative vote dropped significantly.

In a subsequent by-election in July 2023, the Tories secured their only council seat in the King's Hedges ward, Cambridge.

After plans for a congestion charge were abandoned, Mr Gove's housing pledge has become one of the biggest issues for voters.

The BBC has spoken to representatives from the city's four main political groups on the topics. They are listed below in alphabetical order by surname.

• BBC Sounds - The congestion question

• BBC Sounds - Developing Cambridge

Tim Bick is the leader of the Liberal Democrat group at Cambridge City Council

Tim Bick is the leader of the Liberal Democrat group at the Cambridge City Council. He said it was "undeniable" that the area needs more housing. However he said that the government should not interfere and instead leave it to local councils to come up with housing plans.

Yet when it comes to infrastructure such as water, he said there was "scope for partnership".

He also highlighted the housing in the Trumpington area as a good example of a development "based on need".

In regards to the city's transport challenges he said there were many options to look at. However he ruled out a congestion charge, adding "there is no point in bringing forward proposals that don't fly a second time".

Mike Davey said the housing plans announced by Mr Gove were "nonsensical"

Mike Davey is the leader of the Labour group at the authority.

He said the original plans announced by Mr Gove were "nonsensical". He highlighted that Cambridge was important to national governments as a "net contributor" to the UK economy.

Whilst he accepted that growth in the city was important he said that the existing local plan for 50,000 homes already requires two new reservoirs.

He said that congestion and housing needed to be looked at together, as they were interlinked, but he emphasised any solutions proposed by Labour would not involved a congestion charge.

Zachary Marsh is the associate chairman for Cambridge city Conservatives

Zachary Marsh, the associate chairman for Cambridge City Conservatives, said it was important that more homes were built in the city so more people could own their home. He said this needs to be done with community consent.

"I'm pleased the government has acknowledged there are clear barriers with regards to water that need to be solved first."

With regards to transport he said that the Conservative Party was always against plans to charge motorists.

He said the short-term focus should be providing more bus services and the long-term focus should be to look at light rail as "evidence shows internationally people who won't get on buses will get on light rail".

Sarah Nicmanis is the Green Party's parliamentary candidate for the city

Sarah Nicmanis is the Green Party's prospective parliamentary candidate for the Cambridge.

She said residents were "traumatised" by the congestion charge debate, and that the party was in favour of alternative charges such as a workplace parking levy and a tourist tax. She argued that these would put the financial burden on businesses and tourists who could afford to pay it.

With regard to housing, Ms Nicmanis criticised the water credits scheme put forward by Mr Gove in the government's recent report and suggested it was similar to the carbon credits system, which she said had not had "much success or accountability".

Ms Nicmanis was also concerned about the lack of funding for the NHS and police as the population grows with an increase in housing.

The local elections will take place on 2 May. A full list of candidates standing in all wards of Cambridge are available on the city council website.

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