Watch: Why city leaders oppose Coventry congestion charge

A proposed congestion charge for Coventry would "kill the city centre", a city councillor has said.

Labour's Jim O'Boyle, cabinet member for jobs and regeneration, took to Twitter today to explain why city leaders oppose government plans for a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in Coventry, which he says the people of the city "can neither afford, nor want".

Cllr O'Boyle posted a video, which you can watch above, in which he explains some of the proposals the council will put to the government in a bid to avoid the move.

He speaks about plans to "open up" Upper Hill Street as a route into the city, which could alleviate congestion on Holyhead Road - although he admits that the government believe air quality is a problem on major routes into the city.

Cllr O'Boyle claims the proposed change would be "far better than the congestion charge," which he says would "kill the city centre".

He goes on to criticise the government for simultaneously investing money into improving the city centre as well as proposing a congestion charge that could damage it.

“Don’t forget the government have given us something like £100 million to redevelop the city centre," he says.

"Now another department of the government are saying actually bring in a congestion charge and stop people coming into the city centre or charge them to do so.

"So on the one hand they’re saying get people into the city centre, here’s £100 million, then in another breath they’re saying actually, charge people to stop them coming into the city centre.

"This is not joined up government."

Cllr O'Boyle says the council is coming up with "sensible proposals" to put to the government, which will mean better air quality and people in Coventry "being able to go about their city without having to pay for the privilege".

Watch below: How dangerous is the air where you live?

In a second video, Cllr O’Boyle is stood outside the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre on Rowley Road which he says has put Coventry "at the forefront" of new cleaner transport and technology.

He says: "We want to see people having the choice to move away from carbon type vehicles that pollute our atmosphere and warm our planet through climate change, to new clean technology to get people around and Coventry is at the forefront of that.

“That’s why this is important when it comes to air quality in our city.

"We have a joined up approach. I just hope the government can see that and actually supports the people of Coventry to make sure we have choices rather than have things foisted on us which we can neither afford nor want.”

Why might Coventry be getting a CAZ?

Earlier this year, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) rejected the city council's £83million plan to cut pollution - instead insisting on the implementation of a CAZ.

A CAZ is expected to help the city achieve clean air compliance by between 2023 and 2026, whereas the council’s measures are expected to cut pollution down by 2024.

The authority has until June 14 to make revisions to its pollution-busting plan, including details on the clean air zone.

Earlier this week, we revealed that the proposed CAZ would be centred around the ring road – an area highlighted by the government as one of the most polluting areas.

Within the congestion charge area there are around 80,000 residents, according to a council report, with almost half of those among the most deprived in the city.

There are also 52,000 employees who work in the CAZ, along with 3,610 small businesses.

 

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