Opinion: I will continue my campaign against Labour’s war on motorists

Labour’s aggressive Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charging expansion is a harsh tax that will hit the pockets of working people and small businesses the hardest.

If you live anywhere in the capital and drive a vehicle which does not meet minimum emissions standards you are now required to pay a £12.50 daily fee or risk a £180 fine.

So if you live in London, even in places such as Barnet, Romford or Sutton - miles out of the centre of London – you will have to pay a charge to do your weekly shopping or go to work.

It will also hit those who live outside London and depend on services within the ULEZ, such as hospitals, schools and shops.

I stand side by side with Peterborough Conservative Councillors who have ruled out such a charge for our city.

There was a vote, moved by local Conservatives in the council chamber, to rule out congestion charging in Peterborough.

Unfortunately the local Labour and Lib Dem parties voted against this.

The local Labour leader thinks I’m ‘boring’ because I want to talk about the potential of road charging coming to Peterborough.

It’s not boring to stand up for people’s livelihoods.

It’s not boring to the nurse covering a night-shift who might have to pay twice.

It’s not boring to the food supplier who can’t afford replace their vans at the moment.

It’s not boring for the family taking their children to school.

No matter how ‘boring’ Labour finds it, I will continue my campaign against Labour’s war on motorists.

If Labour was against bringing in a charging scheme in Peterborough, as they say they are, why did they not join the Conservatives in a vote to rule it out?

Because it’s there in black and white in the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Labour Mayor’s Local Transport and Connectivity Plan.

In it, it states that ‘Travel Demand Management’ could include ‘schemes such as congestion charging’.

That sounds like there is a plan to punish Peterborough’s motorists.

I will only stop talking about road charging if the local Labour leader decides to put forward his own motion to rule out congestion charging in Peterborough and demand the Labour Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough removes it from his documents.

Then he should publicly apologise to the people of Peterborough and pledge to campaign against Labour’s clear plans to expand road charging nationally.

So the ball is in their court.

It’s time for Labour to be straight with the people of Peterborough who desperately want them to rule out any form of emissions or road user charging for good.

Join my campaign and let me know what you think with regards to a potential ULEZ by filling out my survey online at www.paulbristow.org.uk/form/congestioncharge