YORK'S new Labour administration has asked council officials to develop a 'Movement Plan' for York that will see carbon emissions from transport in the city slashed by 71 per cent by 2030.
The plan will involve cutting car journeys by at least 20 per cent - along with a doubling of active travel such as walking and cycling and a 50 per cent increase in bus use.
Labour say such huge changes in the way we move around the city are the only way to combat congestion and enable York to meet its commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030 - something the new administration is committed to.
"A 71 per cent reduction in emissions from transport - that is what we need to do," said Cllr Kate Ravilious, York's new Labour joint executive member for environment and climate emergency.
Cllr Ravilious admitted that Labour did not yet have any detailed plans about how to persuade more people to leave their cars at home and find alternative ways of travelling.
The first step will be to produce a Local Transport Plan (LTP) later this year which will set out travel priorities, she said. Consultation on the LTP will begin in October, and the aim is for it to be approved ready for the region’s first Combined Authority Mayor in May next year.
Then senior council officers will be tasked with coming up with a more detailed 'Movement Plan' which will set out options for bringing about the changes needed.
She said a 20 per cent reduction in car journeys would bring huge benefits. If there were 20 per cent fewer car journeys every day, each day would be like the summer holidays when there is no school run, she said.
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She stressed the need to free up road space so that traffic - including buses - would flow more easily; and cyclists and pedestrians would feel safer and freer to move about.
"And it will bring benefits to health - at the moment the air quality is worrying," she said.
She said the key to persuading people to leave their cars at home was providing proper alternatives - whether this was a better bus service, better cycle routes, or greater priority for pedestrians.
Council leader Cllr Claire Douglas stressed that 'at this point in time' her administration was NOT considering bringing in a congestion charge, with affordability a key priority.
But she didn't rule out some form of charge for visitors - possibly HGV drivers - in future.
And she stressed that York had to be serious about reducing congestion and cutting emissions from transport.
She said her administration had already been holding conversations with businesses and other organisation across the city.
"Everybody is in broad alignment with this," she said.
"We need to look at the whole city, and make sure that people are able to get where they need to be when they need to be. But it will need to involve residents making fewer car journeys.
“All measures (save for a congestion charge) to encourage greater active travel and reduce car use are up for debate but must meet our congestion and climate targets while making it affordable for residents to move freely around the city."
Cross-party suppport for climate action
Opposition parties in York have broadly welcomed Labour’s plans to reduce congestion and carbon emissions from traffic, but have warned the authority must act quickly - and not just on transport.
Cllr Nigel Ayre, Leader of the Liberal Democrat main opposition, said his party had joined with councillors from other parties in declaring a climate emergency in 2019 – and in setting York’s ambitious target of being net zero carbon by 2030.
He said his group was ‘committed to working cross-party on this important issue’.
But he added: “It is vital that the new Labour administration meaningfully engages with residents and businesses so that everyone can have their say on plans to reduce emissions. It is worrying that … Labour do not yet have any detailed plans about how to persuade more people to leave their cars at home.”
And he warned: “Transport accounts for only around 28 per cent of York’s greenhouse gas emissions, with 62 per cent coming from residential and commercial properties.”
Cllr Chris Steward, leader of the Conservative group on the council, said: “We welcome the intent of Labour to boost cycling, walking and bus journeys. However, today's announcement is amazingly light on detail.
“It really is vital we see tangible and sensible plans from Labour rather than vague hopes. It is also crucial that sustainable transport is improved for all and that villages which often have the worst infrastructure for cycling and bus frequency are not forgotten about.”
Andy D’Agorne, the Green party lead on transport in York, added: “This is a welcome step towards a more healthy and inclusive city. Action to cut pollution and congestion is urgent.
“Every car journey switched to active travel, every idling engine switched off is literally a life saver. Labour now needs to present a clear action plan and work with residents and businesses to make clear how they will achieve this.”
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