Congestion charging in Peterborough? Why a row about the controversial policy has broken out among politicians

A row over congestion charging has broken out in Peterborough – despite all major parties saying they have no plans to introduce the controversial measure.

MPs, councillors and residents alike have waded into the debate online, with the city’s Labour Party claiming the Conservatives are trying to smear them with the false suggestion they would introduce congestion charging if in power and the Conservative Party saying Labour has left the policy on the table by refusing to vote against it.

So what does each party actually believe and is there really a chance drivers could be asked to pay for their journeys in Peterborough? And why has this debate arisen at all?

The Conservative view

The debate was triggered by Cllr Ishfaq Hussain (Conservatives, Dogsthorpe) bringing a motion to a Peterborough City Council (PCC) meeting, asking the council to “formally note its rejection of 15 minute cities that restrict vehicle movements along with “any notion of introducing a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) or Congestion Charges in Peterborough”.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats, as well as some members of independent group Peterborough First, criticised the motion and particularly its calls to reject the concept of 15 minute cities as well as LEZs – which can result in daily charges for the most polluting vehicles in particular areas.

LEZs are mentioned in a report that passed through a cabinet meeting made up entirely of Conservatives last year; it says that they “could help accelerate the transition to electric vehicles”.

Opposition parties said that this was the only time in which the policy had been written down in black-and-white and that no-one else has actually asked that LEZs or congestion charging be introduced.

The Conservatives say that they've since reviewed their position and won't be introducing any form of charging, including but not limited to congestion charging and ULEZ zones.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats voted against Cllr Hussain’s motion, though, as did all but one member of Peterborough First (who voted in favour), all but one member of the Green Party (who abstained) and PCC’s only Independent who’s not also a member of Peterborough First.

This shows they’re open to it in future, several Conservative councillors have said, as well as Peterborough’s Conservative MP Paul Bristow.

“It’s two different messages,” Cllr Hussain told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). “You can’t pull the wool over residents’ eyes by voting one way and saying your intentions are something totally different.

“They’ve obviously voted against the motion to keep it on the table.”

Cllr Hussain has also rejected the suggestion that the motion was politically motivated, saying that he brought it to council because some residents were concerned about the possibility of congestion charging and that it was devised before the Uxbridge by-election which saw a Conservative victory, attributed by some by residents’ distaste for Labour mayor Sadiq Khan’s plan to introduce an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to the area.

“We can't control how people are going to vote on a motion and we don’t know whether they’ll be in favour of it or against or abstain,” Cllr Hussain said. “So to say that it's a politically motivated motion is ridiculous.”

Deputy leader of the Conservative group, Cllr Steve Allen (Eye, Thorney and Newborough), similarly rejected suggestions the motion was politically motivated, saying that all opposition groups had to do, “rather than smell a political rat, was support the motion” and that that would have “been the end of any further conversation”.

The Labour view

So why didn’t Labour just vote in favour of the motion, given that they’ve said themselves there’ll be no congestion charging or LEZs in Peterborough?

Cllr Shabina Qayyum (Labour, East), who criticised it during the council debate, said that the motion was “blatant electioneering” which the group rejected “as a matter of principle” and that it also contradicted the report the Conservatives adopted last year.

“What's the point in voting for a motion that contradicts those same policies that their administration has brought about?” she said.

Cllr Qayyum also criticised the Conservatives for “scaremongering”, pointing out that a Change.org petition calling on the council’s administration to “STOP ULEZ IN PETERBOROUGH” has been set up since the council meeting, which refers to a “secret plan”, brought about by Labour, to introduce the measure.

The party has denied even having discussed the possibility.

Labour group leader Cllr Dennis Jones (Dogsthorpe) said that the party couldn’t support Cllr Hussain’s “nonsense motion” in part because it conflates so many issues (congestion charging, LEZ, 15 minute cities).

He has also denied the possibility that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), which actually has responsibility for transport in the region, could impose one or that the national Labour Party would either.

“There's no plans locally, regionally, or nationally to impose congestion charges anywhere that I'm aware of,” he said.

“There's absolutely no way – even if we took power tomorrow – there’d be congestion charging; it's not right for Peterborough.”

An Independent’s view

Labour aren’t the only ones who believe the motion was politically motivated, though.

Cllr John Howard (Peterborough First, Hargate and Hempsted), who recently departed the Conservative group, said it was “nothing more than a political stunt”

“No speaker in the chamber, if you recall, from any party or group supported the introduction of 15-minute cities or ULEZ congestion charges in Peterborough,” he said; adding that the motion was based on a “false premise”.

“I believe the motion was needless and wasted officer time as the administration is already responsible for such policies,” he said.

“The cabinet member should have had a one-minute conversation with their senior officer to be clear on policy. It didn't therefore need the time for officers to process and check the motion.”

Cllr Hussain says that the motion would have saved council officer time if it had passed as they could discount congestion charging and LEZs from future discussions rather than considering them as options for Peterborough.

So will there be a congestion charge?

Any time soon, the answer appears to be no.

The Conservatives remain in power in Peterborough and have been clear that they’re against the measure.

Labour says they’re staunchly against it too. They’re the second largest party in Peterborough and as such aspire to lead the council after the next set of local elections.

Whose side you’re on in the row that’s erupted over it is, as ever, a matter of political preference and perspective.