Give Cambridge a congestion referendum too...

12th December 2008

Ahead of today's Manchester congestion referendum result, Cambridge Labour representatives have repeated their demand for a similar congestion referendum here in Cambridge in 2009.

Councillor Lewis Herbert, Labour City Council leader said

'If it is good enough for Manchester it is good enough for Cambridge, as the county council's congestion blueprint makes us the only other UK city with a detailed planned scheme.

'We want a full referendum of city and South Cambridgeshire residents and why not on 4 June 2009, the same day as the county elections.

'Otherwise, there is a real danger that a currently flawed plan will be imposed on Cambridge residents for decades by both the Conservative county and Lib Dem city councils, without people ever having a say.'

Daniel Zeichner, Cambridge Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson said

'The Cambridge public should decide this, yes or no, not the county council's unelected Transport Commission, which has intentionally delayed the process until well after next year's county elections in an effort to try to kill off debate.

'The Commission costing over £200,000 also looks very much like a 'Reading retread', with the same membership as the recent Reading Transport Commission, the same process and similar terms of reference.

'If there isn't a referendum, the only option people will have in 2009 will be to use the county election to challenge candidates and then use their votes accordingly.’