Petersfield by-election candidates offer their views on air quality and idea of a car-free day
Lib Dem, Labour and Green hopefuls respond to Carbon Neutral Cambridge questions
A car-free day in Cambridge, and a clean air zone were among the suggestions to improve air quality in the city, as candidates for the Petersfield seat were quizzed on how they would improve the environment.
Liberal Democrat Sarah Brown, Labour’s Kelley Green, and the Green Party’s Virgil Ierubino all took part in a survey on environmental matters in the city.
They are among the candidates in the by-election for the city’s Petersfield ward, which will be held on Thursday September 13.
Conservative candidate Othman Cole had not responded to the questionnaire at the time of publication.
The quiz, which was sent to candidates by Carbon Neutral Cambridge, sought to explore candidates’ environmental credentials. They were asked what they thought about the city council’s Air Quality Action Plan, and how they would improve air quality in the city.
Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Brown said: “I support the thrust of the council’s draft air quality action plan, but I think it is disappointingly light on improving public awareness, which is a precondition for the significant changes which we need to follow.”
Sarah said she would like to see people consulted on a congestion charge which could raise cash to subsidise better public transport.
“I would like to see a Clean Air Zone in the centre of Cambridge and a toxicity charge applied to public service and commercial vehicles as a means of encouraging a switchover to electric vehicles by operators and shared ‘last mile delivery’ logistics schemes,” she suggested, adding that something had to be done about the “disastrous” air pollution in Great Northern Road.
Labour’s Kelley Green said more needs to be done to ensure the health of our citizens.
“Respiratory diseases recently overtook heart disease as a leading cause of death in the city,” Kelley said. “I would support a combined approach including more electric car charging points and better public transport.”
Kelley said the car was not the right way to get around the city.
“The planning process is crucial. As is public awareness of alternative means of transport. Cambridge was not built for car use and its impact is significant. I look forward to the day when it is regarded as a minority mode of transport.”
Green Candidate Virgil Ierubino said “drastic action” was needed to improve air quality.
“Certain initiatives require a bold investment to have an impact,” he said. “For instance, making electric vehicle charging points easily accessible throughout the city would suddenly make the use of electric vehicles both appealing and convenient, increasing their use.
“Other initiatives may seem disruptive (like congestion charging and clean air zones) and therefore equally require a boldness to enact.”
Both Kelley Green and Virgil Ierubino said they would support a “car free day” in the city 2019. Sarah Brown said she supported reducing car use, but said enforced bans were often divisive and were too much of a “blunt tool”.
Kelley said cycling clearly worked in Cambridge, and even more resources should be put into making the city better and safer for cyclists. Virgil said more funds needed to be allocated for maintenance of paths and installation of bike facilities. Sarah welcomed new cycling schemes like the Chisholm Trail, but said more should be done to “contain” private hire vehicles.
Candidates were also asked whether they would support an “enhanced tree planting programme” in the city in order to improve air quality.
The Lib Dem, Labour, and Green candidates all agreed that they would support such a drive, saying it was important to invest further in providing more trees.
Their full responses to the questionnaire can be found here http://carbonneutralcambridge.org/petersfield-by-election-2018/
The by-election is being held following the resignation of Ann Sinnott, who objected to the city council allowing transgender women to use ladies’ toilets.
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