Labour renews 'war on motorists' as it quietly ditches plans to limit new LTNs and 20mph zones
The reforms, which were drawn up by the Tories, would have curbed locals councils' powers to restrict traffic and impose 'unfair' fines and parking charges.
Labour ministers, however, dismissed the proposals, saying they 'would have made no positive difference for drivers'.
It comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has faced repeated accusations that Labour is launching a 'war on motorists' in England and Wales.
Just this week, Labour-run Southwark council was forced to admit it would refund thousands of people after they were unfairly fined for driving in bus lanes.
On Saturday, shadow transport secretary Richard Holden branded the decision to scrap the limits on councils' powers over traffic measures a 'secret war on drivers'.
The Conservatives also raised fears that increased limits on car use would hit already struggling high streets across the UK.
Mr Holden told The Telegraph: 'Labour has been caught red-handed as it steps up its targeted war on motorists.
'Conservatives led the charge against unfair and over-zealous enforcement but our work has been ripped up in underhand attacks without any public consultation or manifesto pledge.
'This is a kick in the teeth to motorists, set to punish beleaguered local high streets and will slam the brakes on the economy even more than Rachel Reeves has done so far.'
Back in October 2023, Rishi Sunak announced his party would be introducing a 'Plan for Drivers' to make it harder for local authorities to implement anti-car schemes.
The proposals would have forced councils to place more emphasis on the views of local residents and businesses when considering the introduction of LTNs.
As a minimum, authorities would have had to hold a series of public meetings, with locals in the affected areas also made aware of the plans through leaflets.
However according to the Telegraph's report, ministers have now confirmed that the plans - which were yet to be formalised - have now been shelved.
Lilian Greenwood, the roads minister, said the government was considering its 'next steps' and that the work had been 'put on hold'.
She added that there are no 'current plans' to change the guidance on the rolling out of 20mph speed limits in England.
The minister reiterated that it was up to local authorities to decide where lower speed thresholds would be appropriate in their areas.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'The Government is absolutely on the side of drivers, focusing on making journeys safer and smoother, and saving motorists money.
'Over the past year alone, we invested an extra £500m to help local authorities resurface roads and fix seven million potholes, reducing congestion and saving drivers up to £600 a year in repairs.
'We've also committed £1bn to repair bridges, flyovers and tunnels, and greenlit over 30 road schemes to improve journeys.
'Meanwhile, we are making our roads safer to drive on and will set out the next steps for the first road safety strategy in over a decade in due course.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock calls for Keir Starmer to scrap two-child benefit limit - and suggests 'Robin Hood' wealth tax to fund it
Labour must scrap the two-child cap on benefits to lift children out of poverty, former party leader Neil Kinnock has said as he called for a 'Robin Hood' wealth tax. Lord Kinnock claimed rising levels of poverty 'would make Charles Dickens furious' and claimed the Tories had undone hard work that was begun by Gordon Brown. The 83-year-old, who led Labour in opposition from 1983 to 1992, is the latest senior party figure to urge the current Government to end the two-child limit on benefits. The two-child benefit limit was brought in by the Conservatives in 2017 and restricts child tax credit and universal credit (UC) to the first two children in most households. But organisations working in the sector argue that an estimated 350,000 children would be lifted out of poverty immediately at a cost of £2billion if it was scrapped. Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Lord Kinnock acknowledged the Government may not be able to scrap the two-child cap 'all at once'. He added: 'But I really want them to move in that direction because the figures are that if that did occur it would mean that about 600,000 kids fewer are in poverty.' Lord Kinnock suggested such a move could be funded by a wealth tax on the 'top 1 per cent', saying: 'I know it's the economics of Robin Hood, but I don't think there is anything terribly bad about that.' He claimed that over the decade and a half the Conservatives were in power, child poverty gradually rose. The Labour peer told the newspaper: 'In 15 years, starting from a position where beneficial change was taking place, we've got to the place that would make Charles Dickens furious. 'It's been allowed to happen because the kids are voiceless and their parents feel powerless. I defy anybody to see a child in need and not want to help.' The two-child limit has been long-criticised by Labour backbenchers as a driver of child poverty. Former Labour prime minister Mr Brown recently said ending the two-child limit, as well as the benefit cap, would be among the most effective ways of reducing child poverty. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has left the door open to a rise in gambling taxes after Mr Brown urged her to raise levies to cover the cost of lifting the two-child cap. The Institute for Public Policy Research believes reforms to gambling levies could generate the £3.2billion needed to scrap the two-child limit and benefit cap. The think tank's research said axing the policies could lift half a million children out of poverty and 'reverse years of rising hardship for low-income families'. Ministers are expected to set out plans to tackle child poverty this autumn, and campaign groups have said it must contain a commitment to abandon the two-child limit. Economists have warned tax rises in the autumn are likely needed to plug a hole in the public finances left by poor economic figures and U-turns on welfare, prompting speculation about which areas Ms Reeves might target. There were more than 1.6million children living in households in England, Wales and Scotland affected by the two-child benefit limit in April, according to figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions last month. Work and pensions minister Alison McGovern told the Commons on July 15 that the Child Poverty Task Force will look at 'all the levers across incomes, costs, debt and local support that we can pull to prevent poverty, including social security reform'. But she added at the time that the Government will not commit to lifting the two-child benefit cap until it is clear how it will be paid for. The Government's child poverty strategy had been due to be published in spring, but was subsequently delayed until autumn to align with the Budget. The Daily Mail has contacted the Department for Work and Pensions for comment.
The Independent
22 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rail campaigners say potential 5.5% fares rise would be ‘ripping off' passengers
A potential 5.5% rise in England's train fares next year has been described by public transport groups as 'outrageous'. July's Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation – which is often used to determine increases in the cost of train travel – will be announced on Wednesday. The Government has not confirmed how it will determine the cap in regulated fare rises for 2026, but this year's 4.6% hike was one percentage point above RPI in July 2024. Banking group Investec has forecast this year's July RPI figure will be 4.5%, which means fares could jump by 5.5%. Bruce Williamson, spokesman for pressure group Railfuture, told the PA news agency 'it would be outrageous' if fares rose by that much. He said: 'What would be the justification for jacking up fares above inflation? There isn't any. 'It's ripping off the customer, driving people off the trains and onto our congested road network, which is in no-one's interest.' Mr Williamson said he would support the Government marking its nationalisation of train operators by freezing fares. He continued: 'One would hope that there would be some efficiency savings and economies of scale that you get from having a more integrated railway. 'But of course, I strongly suspect that if there are any savings to be had, they'd be swallowed up by the Treasury and not passed back to the passengers, which I think is wrong.' Ben Plowden, chief executive of lobby group Campaign for Better Transport, said: 'Rising fares are not just burdening passengers, they are putting people off rail travel. 'Our survey found that 71% of people would be more likely to take the train if fares were cheaper. 'Public support for nationalisation plummets if fares continue to rise, so as the Government progresses plans for Great British Railways (GBR), it must take the opportunity to reform fares and make rail travel more affordable.' GBR is an upcoming public sector body that will oversee Britain's rail infrastructure and train operation. About 45% of fares on Britain's railways are regulated by the Westminster, Scottish and Welsh Governments. They include season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance routes, and flexible tickets for travel around major cities. The Department for Transport (DfT) said there will be an update on changes to regulated fares later this year. Operators set rises in unregulated fares, although these are likely to be very close to regulated ticket increases because their decisions are heavily influenced by governments. A DfT spokesperson said: 'The Transport Secretary has made clear her number one priority is getting the railways back to a place where people can rely on them. 'The Government is putting passengers at the heart of its plans for public ownership and Great British Railways, delivering the services they deserve and driving growth. 'No decisions have been made on next year's rail fares but our aim is that prices balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers.'
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Lawnmower racing: West Sussex field hosts 12-hour endurance event
Every year in West Sussex, dozens of drivers line up at the start of a prestigious motor race - but the vehicles might be more at home in a back garden, and there is no tarmac in is Le Mow, an annual 12-hour lawn mower race in Wisborough Green, known as the most affordable way to take part in competitive motorsport. It runs all through the night, from 19:00 BST to 07:00 BST and whoever makes the most laps around the track wins. "I've raced cars on circuits and nothing feels as fast as this, they can get up to 55mph," Callum McIntyre, who is competing in this year's race, told the BBC. Competitors stop every 45 minutes to pull into the pit lane, refuel, and fix damages to the mower - or to the drivers. "I've not had any bad injuries, only broken ribs," Callum's teammate Glyn Saunders, 54, are typically made up of three drivers who share the effort throughout the 12 hours. Just finishing the race is a huge achievement. Daz Whitehead, of the team Northerners Kick Grass, is the most successful driver in the history of the year's victory earned him his seventh overall win, coming 26 years after his first, but this year his goals have changed. "Mark Rostron, who was part of our winning team last year, sadly passed away a couple days after last year's race," Mr Whitehead said."The idea is just to race in his memory and what will be will be in terms of result." 'No better feeling' Lawn mower racing was dreamt up in 1973 at a pub in Wisborough Green by a group of friends bemoaning the state of motorsport and commercialisation. One suggested they race lawn mowers and reclaim the sport's values. Fifty two years later, this still remains true. "It's one of the cheapest forms of motorsport, which is probably why most people are getting into it," Nick Webb, who is competing for the first time this year, said."The cart will probably cost you about £1,000, and the entrance fee's £65." Indianna Winchester, 28, competed in motocross when she was younger but when her brothers started a lawn mower team, she could not resist getting involved."It's a different kind of sport," she said. "The endurance is obviously so much longer and there's no suspension, so the back takes a bit of a beating."Despite previous female-only lawn mower races drumming up interest in the sport, Indiana is the only woman taking part in this year's race."It would be nice to see some more women coming through," she said."I think if you've got the heart for it then why not go for it? There is no better feeling than beating the boys." Alfie Walliss, 23, has lived in Wisborough Green his entire life but only recently made the race something of an annual tradition. "We always saw signs but assumed it was just a cutting grass competition," he said."Two years ago me and my family popped in and had a great time. We've never looked back." Whether a team comes 1st, 40th or doesn't end up finishing, they are all bonded by the comradery of taking on such a demanding feat. "I can confidentially say I've got 200 friends out there. And they're all friends," Peter Hammerton, the event's president said. "It's my life's hobby and I've never even raced a mower."
