Peterborough Council Leader has vetoed transport plans

Wayne Fitzgerald vetoed the transport plans for Cambridgeshire in a meeting this week, and acknowledged he could be facing a leadership challenge

Transport plans have been vetoed by a council leader who has claimed they could lead to charges to use roads.

Peterborough City Council's Tory leader Wayne Fitzgerald has opposed the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority's (CPCA) transport plan.

CPCA Labour mayor Nik Johnson said the possibility of road charging in Peterborough was a "false rumour".

Mr Fitzgerald has acknowledged there could be a challenge to his leadership of the Tory-run council.

The CPCA's Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP) outlines bus, train and cycling options for the county, which includes discouraging private car use, including the use of "fiscal measures" to achieve this.

The CPCA does not have the power to unilaterally impose road charging on Peterborough, and the city's opposition Labour group has said they did not believe it was right for the city.

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As the largest party, Peterborough City Council is run by the Conservatives, but they do not have a majority of seats.

Peterborough First, a group largely made up of former Conservative councillors now sitting as independents, are working on plans to oppose Mr Fitzgerald's rule.

He said the leadership challenge was one of the reasons behind his decision to veto the plans.

"There is a challenge likely to come for my leadership in October, that may or may not happen," he said.

"I wasn't going to sign up to this [LTCP] and take the risk that others who might follow me will agree to the introduction of those charges."

Mr Johnson said: "There was real ambition here for the people and the communities of Peterborough to get an enhanced bus service, better air quality, regular buses and an electrified fleet."

He added he wanted to see the LTCP in front of the board again "as soon as possible".