News / Politics
Tory mayoral candidate promises referendum on liveable neighbourhood
Steve Smith has made being on the side of the motorist a key part of his campaign to become mayor of the West of England.
The Conservative candidate has now turned his attention to the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood trial, proposing a referendum on whether the scheme should be scrapped if he is elected mayor after Thursday’s election.
Smith said the trial “has been a polarising project, sparking local protests as residents have felt they have largely been ignored throughout the process”.
Bristol’s former lord mayor claims that “many have felt that they feel less safe on their own street due to how the situation has been handled”.
As well as calling for a referendum on whether to keep the scheme, Smith said that he will also commit regional funding “to commission an independent expert to carry out a review of the consultation process and installation” which recently saw council contractors joined by police officers at 3am to install part of the infrastructure in Barton Hill.
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Smith said: “Bristol City Council has stopped listening. There is huge opposition from local people to the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood that has been imposed on the community.
“Residents have told me they feel ignored, left out and misled as their community has been divided by this scheme.
“Instead of being a scheme that has public support we have seen the council have to impose it in the early hours under police escort. Something has gone very badly wrong.
“So, if elected, I will fund and commission an independent review into how this was planned and consulted on by Bristol, find out how it went so wrong and never allow it to happen again.”
Steve Smith, the Conservative candidate for West of England mayor, was previously a councillor for Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze – photo: Martin Booth
Smith added: “Bristol must also commit to this being a genuine trial.
“So I am also calling for nothing less than a binding referendum with a yes/no question on whether to keep or scrap the scheme.
“Residents must have the final decision on what happens in their community. This cannot be another council consultation where the only answer that’s allowed is one that agrees with the council.”
In response to Smith’s plans for a referendum, UWE politics lecturer Dr Thom Oliver said: “Whilst LTNs are an emotive issue, Smith – like Banks and his ‘audit all local authorities’ – is very creative in his interpretation of the WECA mayor role.
“Mayors have zero authority to compel a local authority to hold a binding referendum on a local traffic neighbourhood scheme.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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