Lib Dem ‘talks sense’ shock

The main body of the Lib Dem party might want rid of the petrol engine but its London Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick has actually been talking some sense recently – from congestion charging to road works

‘Ban the lot of ’em’ was my rather harsh suggestion last October when the Liberal Democrat Party started mouthing off about the ‘end of the petrol engine’ by 2040 and heaping praise on the Lib Dem Richmond Council for its daft CO2-related parking charges. But if London Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick gets elected in May there could be at least one Lib Dem in power worth listening to.

Among Paddick’s transport proposals are re-phasing the lights, properly managing the roadworks and reducing vans and lorry numbers “to ensure smoother traffic flow, less congestion and faster journeys”, as he sagely points out, “stationary traffic causes more pollution than moving traffic”.

He even thinks taxis drivers should be “encouraged to make their vehicles more environmentally friendly, not penalised for doing so” with a subsidy for licensed black taxi drivers who buy new greener vehicles.

The idea of any politician actually wanting to enable cars to get to their destination quicker makes a refreshing change from all the ‘do as I say not as I do’ politicos who love telling people to jump onto often inconvenient public transport while they speed from one campaign trail to another.

Good old Brian even thinks Ken’s recent congestion charge scheme changes are a bit out of order, as he says: “Ken Livingstone is playing politics with the planet by only discouraging the most-polluting vehicles, and then for only eleven hours a day, five days a week. The most effective way to tackle pollution is to tackle congestion, not exempting small cars from the congestion charge. Porsche have a point: this has become an emissions charge, not a congestion charge, and an ineffective one at that.”

Paddick has pledged to scrap the £25 charge as well as the sub-120g/km exemption, bin off the Western extension zone, keep the flat rate £8 fee and add a £10 greater London congestion zone fee for non-Londoners entering the city limits. Commercial vehicles and London registered vehicles would be exempt. There would be no fines for late payment either – the charge being paid by direct debit once the amount reaches £40. Hell, he even wants to license all cycle couriers – presumably without giving them licence to jump every red light going.

Of course, he’s no member of the Porsche Cayenne owners club either (as far as we know). He also wants to deter car use and promote greener choices by slapping a hefty £2000 VED fee for new cars emitting 225g/km of CO2 or more, but at least this gives people a future choice rather than Ken’s back-dated proposals.

Overall, much of his manifesto chat is surprisingly refreshing – even more so because unlike his national party – he might actually have a chance of getting elected and could have to back up his promises. It could be time to watch the copper-turned-politician closely. If he succeeds the Lib Dems may do well to adopt some of his policies nationwide.