Referendum on Cambridge congestion charge rejected

Drivers would be charged at least £5 if they drive into or around Cambridge between 07:00 and 19:00 on weekdays

A referendum will not be held to decide on a proposed city congestion charge, a council decided.

The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) wants to introduce a £5 charge by 2026-27, affecting private vehicles between 07:00 and 19:00 on weekdays.

It said the funds raised could be used to improve bus services and cut traffic in Cambridge city centre by half.

The issue has led to public protests on both sides of the debate, and a public consultation had 24,000 responses.

The county council, which is run by a Liberal Democrat, Labour and independent alliance, rejected the motion for a local referendum with 32 votes against and 24 in favour at a full council meeting.

If it had gone ahead, the single yes/no question would have been put to residents on 4 May to align with local elections. It would have cost £1.5m to hold, according to the council agenda.

More than 15,660 residents have already signed a petition in favour of holding a referendum, the council heard.

Liberal Democrat councillor Alex Beckett, chair of the council's highways committee, said it was "a really challenging issue".

Of the GCP's public consultation, he said: "We owe it to all those residents to listen to all those responses.

"This is not a simple issue and I don't think distilling it down to simple issues is the way forward."

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The Labour deputy leader of the council, Elisa Meschini, told the meeting: "We cannot make all our decisions on 'yes/no' questions.

"And the timing of the referendum does not make any sense. We cannot have a vote in May on a scheme that doesn't exist.

"Pandora did not get to put the things back in the box."

The controversial issue has seen campaigners on both sides of the debate protest in the city

Referencing David Cameron's decision to hold a referendum on Scottish independence and UK membership of the European Union, Ms Meschini added: "We are currently in this country still haunted by the demons we released in 2014 and 2016.

"We don't get to pass the buck - we still have a problem to solve and it is still our job to solve it."

A spokesman for Cambs Against Congestion Charge (CACC) told the council meeting: "Be under no illusion, the full weight of public opinion is presented here with the current poll standing at 81% against the congestion charge.

"To dismiss this request in our opinion would send a frightful message to the people that you are supposed to represent and we strongly advise you not to sow the wind.

"Where consultation fails, democracy must prevail."

The Greater Cambridge Partnership includes four members - Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council and the University of Cambridge - as well as business representatives.