Opinion - Mike Davey: ‘Tough decisions on Cambridge’s future are necessary - but its future is bright’

Opinion | Cllr Mike Davey, leader of Cambridge City Council and member of Greater Cambridge Partnership executive board, responds to an opinion piece from Chris Elliott on the city today, Read Chris’ piece here.

I read Chris Elliott’s musings in a recent issue of the Indy, ‘I was shocked by what I found when I went back into city’.

Chris’ observations about parking charges, increased costs, and empty retail units will have struck a chord with many readers, whether residents or visitors from surrounding districts. And while I’ll reject Chris’ invitation to accuse him of being ‘a miserable, cantankerous old curmudgeon who is seeing more negatives than positives’ (his words), I will take up his offer to respond, so that readers can ‘hear from the powers-that be’ about our vision for Cambridge.

As custodians of the city, local leaders need to take difficult decisions, which we do with the needs of all of our residents, businesses, visitors and the environment at the forefront of our minds. This isn’t always straightforward and there’s not always an easy answer.

Take congestion. Chris asks ‘Is road traffic in Cambridge, once so congested, really still so bad that drivers … need to be thumped in their wallets to discourage them from coming in by car?’. Well, to be honest, it’s complicated.

We all care about Cambridge, whether we live, work or visit the city. Most folk will agree that the way we travel around the city and wider region needs to change – but we need to balance that with retaining what makes Cambridge unique.

The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) has a vital role in this. It was set up in 2014 by the government as a partnership between Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridgeshire County councils to deliver projects, infrastructure and technology to improve people’s lives and their experiences of moving around Greater Cambridge – now and in the future.

Although not easy, we are now seeing real progress in the delivery of new infrastructure that will make travel easier, safer and more reliable. Giving choice about how people travel to get to where they need to be.

Thousands of people travel over the Chisholm Trail every day, which brings everyone living in some of the most deprived areas of Cambridge within a 10-minute cycle of a railway station.

By the end of September, all major works on Milton Road should be complete – providing new bus lanes and walking and cycling links to improve people’s daily journeys. This follows on from the delivery of the award-winning Histon Road project.

I haven’t yet touched upon our busway projects – which will transform how people get in and out of the city – or the 12 Greenway active travel routes, subsiding the Park & Ride sites, or how later this year we’ll be trialling cutting-edge autonomous buses which could form the future of transportation around our city and beyond.

Similarly, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) has a vital role to play as strategic transport authority for the region. The Combined Authority is responsible for delivering our Local Transport and Connectivity Plan, which provides the blueprint for how we can challenge the status quo and improve connectivity for all.

Several initiatives that provide alternatives to travelling by car have already been implemented, including the Voi electric bike and scooter trials in the city, and introducing the Tiger bus fares for young people who can now travel anywhere within the county for just £1. The Combined Authority will also shortly be launching a consultation on how buses are run across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Chris raises concerns as to the cost of parking in city council car parks. Fees have increased, albeit in line with comparative commercial parking operators. But we want to encourage people spending the day in town to choose the Park & Ride (£3.50 return) or other options, while still enabling short-stay trips for under £10 for anyone popping in briefly outside of peak times for shopping or leisure.

Chris suggests that we’ve been ‘unashamedly raking in millions each year from people coming in by car’ and queries whether this is ‘actually just about swelling the council’s bank account’. Car parking charges are indeed a vital part of balancing the council’s books.

We receive reduced funding from central government year on year, which means councils up and down the country are having to generate their own income to cover the costs of delivering much-needed frontline services. We take in around £9million a year from parking fees, which contributes to the £100million we spend each year.

From collecting household recycling and bins, tackling homelessness and providing services in the community, to looking after our parks and open spaces, and running elections and staffing polling stations (twice this year!) - we need to generate an income to cover these costs, and think this is the right approach to doing so.

Chris asks ‘What are the councils doing about Cambridge’s retail scene?’, while acknowledging that ‘most of us are buying most of our stuff online, and shops are struggling to keep bricks-and-mortar emporia afloat’. Well, while I agree that it is sad to see empty retail units, we are fortunate in Cambridge to have a very low proportion compared to other parts of the country, where units are left empty in the long term. This is because of our growing local economy, and because of the desire and investment which enables the city to adapt to the changes in demand, such as the increase in entertainment, leisure and cultural experiences.

Having said that, we are committed to supporting Cambridge’s businesses, particularly those that are locally owned or independents and social enterprises, because of the contribution they make to providing jobs, and social and cultural value to the city.

We’re running a scheme to support market traders to enhance their business operations, and apply for £1,000 grant funding to help develop their business; and the Youth Enterprise Market Challenge for 16 to 25-year-olds to transform their business ideas into thriving market stalls.

We are also working with Indie Cambridge, Allia, and Cambridge BID (Business Improvement District) to support and promote local small businesses and enhance the city for residents and visitors, from practical support and access to Green Business Grants, to considering how tourism can be better managed in Cambridge, or hosting arts and cultural events in the city centre.

Finally, Chris invited us to share our vision for ‘a bright future for Cambridge’, if there is one. As an old bloke myself, I believe there is. The city council has recently committed to a new vision, for a Cambridge where:

- residents enjoy a high quality of life and exemplar public services
- decarbonisation and sustainability are central to prosperity
- innovation benefits people and planet
- development is sustainable and inclusive
- arts, sports, and culture are thriving, and
- democratic accountability is genuine and accessible

We believe the future of this city is very bright, but we are simply custodians and to get it right we need to hear and listen to people like Chris. These are difficult challenges, and it’s only by engaging in these conversations that we will be able to ensure we do the right thing for this beautiful city. So, from one old bloke to another, thank you.