Greens ditch congestion charge policy in favour of Bristol workplace parking levy

The Green group running Bristol City Council have ditched their former policy to introduce a congestion charge. Budget amendments tabled by the party in 2019 and 2020, when they were in opposition, suggested more than £6million would be generated by forcing non-residents to pay to drive into the city centre, and that this could be spent on buses, cycling and walking.

But replying to a question at a recent council meeting, transport and connectivity committee chairman Cllr Ed Plowden (Green, Windmill Hill) said their efforts were now focused on introducing a workplace parking levy. He said a lot had changed in the last five years, including the introduction of the Clear Air Zone.

Cllr Kaz Self (Labour, Southmead) asked at member forum: “In 2019, the Green Party tabled an amendment to the budget that sought to spend £10.25million on setting up a congestion charge zone in Bristol. Are congestion charges still Green Party policy?”

Cllr Plowden replied: “It’s Labour Party policy in London because there is a congestion charge policy in London. Congestion in our city costs our economy £300million every year, and every year there are 65 hours of delay for the average driver, so we can all agree there needs to be a range of measures to tackle congestion and achieve a rapid shift in greener travel in the city for the sake of our health, our climate, as well as our economy.

“The focus at the moment is on a workplace parking levy, paid for by large employers in the city on staff car parking bays that they may receive for free. The Bristol Green Party believes that this is a fair and effective next step in meeting the transport demand.”

He said such a scheme would take three years to install. Cllr Plowden said: “This is our priority rather than a blanket congestion charge.

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“The revenue raised would be invested in transport and the priorities in better public transport and furthering mass transit proposals. If we were to progress with the congestion charge at some point in the future then we would work with partner organisations to develop financially sound, fair and evidence-based proposals to ensure we are tackling congestion in a positive and equitable way that improves the overall transport system.”

Pressed by Cllr Self for a yes or no answer at the meeting on Tuesday, January 14, he added: “At the present moment, no, it’s not our policy to install one in Bristol. I’m aware that other Green Parties may have other ideas for their city because we are a very locally based organisation, not centrally controlled, and it may be that other Green Parties and other Labour Parties, like in London, do support congestion charges.

“But our priority is clearly on the workplace parking levy as the first step.” Both of the group’s amendments in 2019 and 2020 were voted down at full council.