Transport

Conservatives stand on the same side as those frustrated people who ask politicians the simple question, “Why can’t I get to work by 9am?”

Buses. Conservatives support the Park and Ride scheme, which is widely seen as a success and has been visited by delegations from foreign cities. The Citi buses provide frequent and reliable transportation for residents of much of the City; Conservatives will work with the County Council to make sure other areas also get a high-quality service. Conservatives will not join the Lib Dems and Labour in playing politics over the future of other bus routes:

• The 114 continues to receive its annual subsidy from the County Council. The service will be reviewed in the future and the County Council hopes the operator can reduce its cost and increase patronage so that it can convert to a commercial operation.
• The 16/17 has lost its subsidy but Stagecoach have assured Cambridge Conservatives that this popular and commercially-viable service will continue.
• Those bus routes that are discontinued, most of which are rural, are to be replaced with an expanded provision of dial-a-ride services. County transport bosses expect this to provide a better service than the existing buses, since users will be driven from their homes to their destination rather than having to walk at both ends and wait for a bus. It will also be more cost-effective than running mostly-empty buses, freeing up money for other vital services.

Trains. Cambridge Conservatives support the proposed Chesterton Rail Interchange. We called for it for many years and want to see it introduced as a regional transport priority.

Congestion. Conservatives see encouraging cycling and public transport use as key to reducing congestion. To reduce strain on our roads, new homes should only be approved if existing and proposed roads can cope.

• We recognise that cars are essential for many people, and believe a Congestion Charge for Cambridge would be unworkable and unfair. Cambridge Conservatives always opposed the Labour government’s attempts to force a Congestion Charge as part of the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) bid, whereas Labour and Lib Dem county councillors voted in favour of TIF.
• The A14 upgrade scheme was strongly supported by Cambridge Conservatives and our colleagues throughout the County, as a means of reducing the high accident rate on this road and cutting the severe congestion that damages the local economy. We were very disappointed when the £1.4bn upgrade was scrapped in the Coalition’s October 2010 spending review, although we accept that spending had to be cut to deal with Labour’s deficit. Cambridge’s Lib Dems claimed the upgrade would ‘wreak havoc’ on Cambridge by increasing traffic flow into the City; we believe this was a poorly thought through stance that failed to recognize that most of A14 traffic bypassed Cambridge and that the severe congestion is damaging the local economy. We believe that this campaign, culminating in Cambridge’s MP Julian Huppert speaking against the upgrade in Parliament, contributed to the Government’s decision to scrap this rather than other transport schemes. Cambridgeshire Conservatives continue to work for alternative solutions to the A14′s problems.

Cycling. Conservatives support more and better, dedicated cycle parking facilities around shops and businesses. We would consider adding them by converting existing car parking bays if necessary – but not as an anti-car measure. We will:

• Support the ‘Chisholm Trail’ for cyclists.
• Work with the County Council and Cambridge Cycling Campaign to undertake a complete audit of cycle lane routes – identifying gaps in provision, underused lanes and dangerous pathways. The narrowness of many streets means that the optimal wide cycle lanes separated from motor vehicles are often not feasible, and so a flexible case-by-case approach to improving cycle routes is needed. Signage of City cycle routes can be confusing and poorly maintained – this needs to be improved.
• Encourage the continued development of off-road cycle routes, particularly towpaths along waterways and former railways, to create safe, traffic-free cycling routes.
• Lobby the government to remove Labour’s rigid targets for the introduction of new cycle lanes and allow us the discretion to spend money on cycling as we determine – such as providing better information on existing cycle routes and the proper promotion of cycling training in schools.
• Ensure a massive expansion in provision for secure storage of bicycles as part of the rail station area redevelopment.