Labour Criticises County Conservatives for Wasting Over £100,000 on Biased Congestion Opinion Research

08 May 2008

Labour City Councillors have responded to the release this week of the County Council's consultation, market research and opinion polling on its congestion charge plans ...

Labour City Councillors have called on the new County Conservative leadership, to be elected this Friday, to 'go back to the Drawing Board' on their badly thought out Congestion Charge plan. This follows a main countywide poll by the county on the county's congestion plan showing 49% against the congestion charge compared to only 31% in favour.

Even this result is biased, says Labour, because only 21% of those questioned were city residents. The poll was devalued by sampling people right across Cambridgeshire including a high percentage who rarely or never travel to Cambridge. The 3200 responses to the on-line survey were also even more clearly against the county Conservative proposals.

Despite research and consultation costing well over £100,000 on polling, focus groups and surveys, no poll was conducted on Cambridge residents, or even regular travellers into town. Reports published yesterday by the county also put the best possible gloss on the findings, rather than dig into detailed views and options on the full range of possible solutions.

Councillor Lewis Herbert, Labour City Council Leader and Transport Spokesperson, said:

'The county's expensive surveying has asked men from March and women from Wisbech their views on Cambridge congestion and about walking and cycling, which is a statistical nonsense given that the deliberate decision not to produce a clear survey on the views of Cambridge residents and people who travel regularly into town.

'Labour Councillors cannot remember a time when so much money, well over £100,000 here , been spent locally with so little to show for it. What a senseless waste given how crucial it is that we all come up with a deliverable, fair and green plan to improve city public transport and tackle future congestion.

Coun Herbert added ' Labour wants the new County Tory leader, to be elected on Friday, to take the whole congestion charge plan back to the drawing board. This issue has been mishandled from the start, and we know from knocking on loads of doors recently that a huge majority of Cambridge residents agree that a fresh start is needed.

'Cambridge people also want wider answers to three questions from County Tory leaders.

Why should Cambridge residents, particularly drivers not adding to congestion, get hit by the 'morning car tax' as unlike commuters many have no other option ?

How can County Conservatives justify diverting congestion charge income to Wisbech and Ely road schemes, as their consultation makes quite explicit they plan ?

And why have we only ever been offered one option, when what we need is the chance of achieving the best option for the city's future. ?