Bristol City Council’s leading Green group has dropped its previous policy to implement a congestion charge in the city. In opposition, the Greens had proposed budget amendments in 2019 and 2020 that would see non-residents charged for driving into the city centre, potentially raising over £6 million for public transport and sustainable travel initiatives.
However, during a recent council meeting, Cllr Ed Plowden (Green, Windmill Hill), chair of the transport and connectivity committee, indicated that the party’s focus has shifted towards a workplace parking levy. He noted significant changes in the city over the past five years, including the implementation of the Clean Air Zone.
Labour Councillor Kaz Self (Southmead) queried at the 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 added that such a scheme would take three years to implement, stating: “This is our priority rather than a blanket congestion charge.
“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.”
Bristol Live reports that, pressed again by Cllr Self, he responded: “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.”
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