Peterborough Liberal Democrats are asking residents to back their call for better local bus services and introduction of a Park and Ride service.
They took to the streets outside the Town Hall on Saturday together with Lib Dem Mayoral candidate, Cllr Lorna Dupre, to invite people’s views on how to bring about a ‘Greener, Fairer and Better-Connected Peterborough and Cambridgeshire!’.
“The aim is to have better buses, fewer car journeys, less congestion, and a cleaner environment, said campaign organiser, Beki Sellick.
“Peterborough LibDems really want to hear what your bus priorities are. How can we make our city cleaner and greener for all residents? Where do you want Park & Ride sites to be? Where do you want quicker buses to go – so you can get to where you want to go?”.
Passers-by were invited to put stickers on a map of Peterborough for their favourite Park & Ride venues and which bus routes into the city to prioritise.
“This would make the buses fast, frequent and more reliable – so more people leave their cars at home, reducing congestion and emissions,” said Beki.
The campaign followed a workshop in January where Peterborough and Fenland LibDem members focused on local transport – and planned the campaigning stall in the city.
Transport is one of mayoral candidate Cllr Dupre’s priorities in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayoral campaign.
The Peterborough LibDem transport workshop covered several areas:
How to make the city less car-centric, and therefore a greener, fairer, better-connected place. As well as the Park Ride bus consultation other ideas included:
- Creating a better walking, cycling, and wheeling environment – by improving design
(like the new Station Quarter) and by introducing a low emissions zone that eases traffic and makes the city fairer.
- It also posed the question about possible new train stations north and south of Peterborough? One suggestion was to raise car parking charges to make all buses free.
Another idea was to put “next bus due” information screens onto more bus stops?
The Lib Dems also considered how transport fits into national policies, generating ideas for Cambridgeshire’s 3 new LibDem MPs to take to Parliament:
Also discussed was joining up health and active travel with well-being. How buses, trains, walking, cycling, and wheeling mean more independence for both young people and elders –and easier for people with less money to be included.
Lib Dems also agreed to personal pledges such as:
- Swapping from car to bus or walking to the supermarket (going more often to get the fresh air – and buying less each time, so it can be carried)
- Using bikes (instead of cars) more around the city, and trains more (instead of planes) when going on holiday
- Ordering less home delivery – using hubs or lockers – or actual shops, supporting neighbourhoods and the city
