Green Party councillors on Brighton & Hove City Council have called Labour plans to scrap the city’s seafront cycle lane, which the Greens argue was “debated and supported in council committees, consulted on with the public, fully funded and ready to launch”, as “uncosted, unconsulted and undemocratic”.
In a press release, the Green Group of Councillors say Labour’s plans are “already costing the city £20,000 a week for delayed contractor costs”, which “would be avoided if Labour simply got the scheme started”. It will also “cost at least £70,000 for redesign work and potentially hundreds of thousands in rework, contract termination and funding retraction costs”. Greens are arguing that this is “not only financially irresponsible but it has not been something anyone has asked for. It was also not featured in Labour’s 2023 manifesto”.
Steve Davis, Green Transport Spokesperson, said: “The active travel scheme that was proposed by the Greens and supported by Labour previously had been costed, funded, debated and supported multiple times in council committees, supported across the city and primed to begin any day. By contrast, Labour’s proposal is uncosted, unconsulted and undemocratic.
“Labour’s first decision about transport in this administration has already costed the city thousands in contractor delay costs and, judging by the rough estimates offered to the committee, will cost the city hundreds of thousands more.
“There is not just a financial cost, but a cost of time. The planet is on fire now, and we need infrastructure that addresses that urgently. Instead, and shockingly, Labour have actively paid contractors to delay progress.”
“What’s more, the costly decision to cancel the scheme has not been consulted on with the city’s residents, and it was not in their 2023 manifesto. Labour promised they would listen to the city, but just weeks into their administration they’ve already thrown that aside.”
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