Leeds developing anti-car reputation, claims councillor

Leeds City Council has made a pledge to make the city carbon neutral by 2030

Leeds is developing an "anti-car" reputation a councillor has claimed after the authority said it could not rule out further charges for drivers.

Conrad Hart-Brooke said he backed plans to cut car use but warned charges would hit the poorest the hardest and said people needed "carrots before sticks".

Leeds City Council is aiming for a 30% cut in local car travel by 2030.

Climate lead Helen Hayden said she did not want to bring in extra charges, but they may prove to be a "silver bullet".

Mr Hart-Brooke made his comments at a climate emergency advisory committee meeting, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

As part of a presentation councillors were told that "charging measures to reduce demand for travel" by car could be considered in future years.

Mr Hart-Brooke said: "I worry when I see things like that, because, ultimately, charging and adding costs in disadvantages the poor in our society disproportionately.

"It's not the guy in the 4x4 or the Volvo who won't drive, they'll pay whatever.

"We really need to get the options stood up that are carrots before we go in with the sticks.

"We're developing a reputation as an anti-car city. That's great, but we need the options for people to use as an alternative."

Councillor Helen Hayden insisted the council was not anti-car

The council has come under attack in recent weeks for its plans to charge drivers for parking at parks and green spaces around the city.

Elsewhere, clean air zones, toll roads and increased city centre parking charges are all examples of policies that have been put in place in other areas to discourage driving.

Responding to Mr Hart-Brooke, Ms Hayden, the council's executive member for climate, said: "The strategy is for Leeds to be a place where you don't need a car, and that will benefit the poorest the most because they don't have cars at the moment, yet they suffer five times more from air quality-related illnesses.

"We're not anti-car. [The ambition] is not 'You shouldn't have a car'. It's 'You don't need a car'.

"I don't want to bring in any more charges than there are at the moment, but that's not to say you don't have it in your arsenal.

She said efforts were being made to improve public transport, install more cycle ways and make walking and biking "easier and safer".

But, she said: "If all those don't work you need something in your back pocket to be a silver bullet, or to really move things along."