The council's Labour Group budget last night set out a powerful, coherent argument for changes to transport policy in the city, according to its transport spokesperson. Coun. Ruth Potter said a number of proposals, voted down by the ruling Liberal Democrats and opposition Conservatives and Greens, would have led to an improvement in time taken getting around the city, and also to lower carbon emissions and less traffic congestion.

She said:

"Local Labour recognises the problems that this city faces in terms of its traffic infrastructure and is not afraid to tackle them, unlike other parties. We would have started work on creating a Quality Bus Contract scheme to improve those bus services that so desperately need it. We would also have extended provision of subsidised transport to all those in full time education between 16 and 19, who are currently having to pay more than those in higher education at the city's two universities, to use the bus.
"Also on bus service provision, we had funded a full review of bus services in the city, to ensure the subsidy support from the council was targeted at the right services. We need to be clear that residents are getting the right services in the right place.

"More strategically, we would have funded a green travel plan coordinator to improve education on the choices available to people beyond travelling by car. It is a real shame that the Greens chose not to sit down with us and consider the fact that a Labour budget was more green that the Lib Dem budget that they supported. This measure would have been accompanied by smart travel planning that helps people to make better choices when it comes to travelling around the city.

"We would have decreased the punitive charging for ResPark permits that city centre residents have been stung by over recent years by the Lib Dems, rather than its own poor gimmick of reducing the cost of visitors' permits. That does almost nothing to help these residents. In fact the Liberal Democrat budget shows a party completely static on transport policy, burying its head in the sand and refusing to act to reduce congestion and improve travel in and around the city for its residents".