CambridgePPF Transport Commission Submission
Our submission to the County Council's Transport Commission
Following our 6-page submission to the County Council's Transport Commission, the Society was invited to give oral evidence one evening in March. Peter Landshoff (Chair of the Planning Committee) and the Chief Executive made the following points:
Issues of transport, and particularly of traffic congestion, have a very profound effect on the life and environment of the City and the surrounding villages, and so cannot be ignored. Traffic conditions in Cambridge are already so bad that they demand urgent attention.
With the planned expansion of the population of greater Cambridge over the coming years, it is essential that provision must be put in place now for some kind of additional demand management if Cambridge is not to seize up and if carbon emissions in the City are to be reduced.
Whilst alleviating congestion is essential for the future prosperity of Cambridge, this must not be to the detriment of the city's historic character or the quality of life of its citizens. There is an unwelcome tendency to locate new transport routes (cycle tracks and bus routes etc) within the limited areas of open green space within the city, resulting in greater fragmentation and loss of a key public recreational amenity. Any major transport plan, including a congestion charge, must be assessed in terms of its impact on the historic character of the city as well as on the green open space, the Green Belt, and the natural environment, to ensure that the special character of Cambridge and its surroundings can continue to be enjoyed for many years to come.
Any package of measures must include a strong element of demand management. We accept the view that no realistic alternative to a congestion charge has yet been identified. With some reluctance, we recommend that a congestion charge scheme be adopted, but only if it is part of a package of other measures, including a significant improvement in public transport.
A grant from the Department for Transport of up to some £500m represents a unique opportunity to improve public transport throughout the whole Greater Cambridge region. However, the Country Council should not be beguiled by the size of this grant into proposing measures that have not been fully researched and in which it does not have full confidence for their long-term effectiveness.
Major improvements to public transport must be in place before any congestion charge is imposed, and all income from the charge must be applied to transport improvements. The nature of these improvements must be the subject of wide debate.
Enhancing the Park & Ride system to increase its take-up must be a major element in improving public transport. But careful consideration needs to be given as to how the existing road system can cope with additional buses, and generally how to make maximum use of its capacity, including more drastic solutions such as one-way systems, greater use of bollards, more bus lanes and bus-only roads. It is essential that the historic fabric of the city centre is fully protected from the detrimental effects of high levels of traffic it cannot accommodate.
It is important to understand the way in which the congestion charge will bear upon particular groups, such as those on low incomes, those living in the surrounding villages who are dependent on Cambridge for their employment, shopping and entertainment, or those for whom the use of their car is essential for their work. Consideration should be given to the ways in which the effect on particular groups might be mitigated.
We welcome the research the County Council is undertaking to gain a better understanding of the economic impact of its proposals. We would urge that such studies should involve a comprehensive economic analysis of all the options. A congestion charge would impose direct and indirect costs on Cambridge businesses, but it is important to balance these against the costs that would arise from the level of congestion that is likely to occur without a charge.
Adequate cycle routes from the edge of the city must be put in place but protecting our parks and green spaces from becoming fast transport corridors and being severely fragmented by transport routes.
Our welcome to the Transport Commission's report can, at best, be cautious. We recall that a survey commissioned last year by the County Council found that a majority were in favour of a congestion charge, provided that all the proceeds are ploughed back into improving public transport. We remain of the firm view that Cambridge cannot afford to do nothing!
Following our 6-page submission to the County Council's Transport Commission, the Society was invited to give oral evidence one evening in March. Peter Landshoff (Chair of the Planning Committee) and the Chief Executive made the following points:
Issues of transport, and particularly of traffic congestion, have a very profound effect on the life and environment of the City and the surrounding villages, and so cannot be ignored. Traffic conditions in Cambridge are already so bad that they demand urgent attention.
With the planned expansion of the population of greater Cambridge over the coming years, it is essential that provision must be put in place now for some kind of additional demand management if Cambridge is not to seize up and if carbon emissions in the City are to be reduced.
Whilst alleviating congestion is essential for the future prosperity of Cambridge, this must not be to the detriment of the city's historic character or the quality of life of its citizens. There is an unwelcome tendency to locate new transport routes (cycle tracks and bus routes etc) within the limited areas of open green space within the city, resulting in greater fragmentation and loss of a key public recreational amenity. Any major transport plan, including a congestion charge, must be assessed in terms of its impact on the historic character of the city as well as on the green open space, the Green Belt, and the natural environment, to ensure that the special character of Cambridge and its surroundings can continue to be enjoyed for many years to come.
Any package of measures must include a strong element of demand management. We accept the view that no realistic alternative to a congestion charge has yet been identified. With some reluctance, we recommend that a congestion charge scheme be adopted, but only if it is part of a package of other measures, including a significant improvement in public transport.
A grant from the Department for Transport of up to some £500m represents a unique opportunity to improve public transport throughout the whole Greater Cambridge region. However, the Country Council should not be beguiled by the size of this grant into proposing measures that have not been fully researched and in which it does not have full confidence for their long-term effectiveness.
Major improvements to public transport must be in place before any congestion charge is imposed, and all income from the charge must be applied to transport improvements. The nature of these improvements must be the subject of wide debate.
Enhancing the Park & Ride system to increase its take-up must be a major element in improving public transport. But careful consideration needs to be given as to how the existing road system can cope with additional buses, and generally how to make maximum use of its capacity, including more drastic solutions such as one-way systems, greater use of bollards, more bus lanes and bus-only roads. It is essential that the historic fabric of the city centre is fully protected from the detrimental effects of high levels of traffic it cannot accommodate.
It is important to understand the way in which the congestion charge will bear upon particular groups, such as those on low incomes, those living in the surrounding villages who are dependent on Cambridge for their employment, shopping and entertainment, or those for whom the use of their car is essential for their work. Consideration should be given to the ways in which the effect on particular groups might be mitigated. We welcome the research the County Council is undertaking to gain a better understanding of the economic impact of its proposals. We would urge that such studies should involve a comprehensive economic analysis of all the options. A congestion charge would impose direct and indirect costs on Cambridge businesses, but it is important to balance these against the costs that would arise from the level of congestion that is likely to occur without a charge.
Adequate cycle routes from the edge of the city must be put in place but protecting our parks and green spaces from becoming fast transport corridors and being severely fragmented by transport routes.
Our welcome to the Transport Commission's report can, at best, be cautious. We recall that a survey commissioned last year by the County Council found that a majority were in favour of a congestion charge, provided that all the proceeds are ploughed back into improving public transport. We remain of the firm view that Cambridge cannot afford to do nothing!
posted by Cambridge Past Present and Future at
09:42
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