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.

Trains. Cambridge Conservatives have for many years called for the creation of a railway station at Chesterton, serving the North of the City, and are delighted that the Conservative-run County Council has secured funding that means this station should open in 2015.

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. The Conservative-controlled County Council has secured funding from the Government to investigate new schemes for improving the A14.

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.