Cambridgeshire Tories Turn their Backs on £500 Million Transport Investment.

7.06.59pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 27th Apr 2009

In a bizarre development last week, which County Lib Dem spoke Alex Reid describes as the Grand Old Duke of York meets Alice in Wonderland, the Tory County Council effectively said no thank you to the government and walked away from the opportunity to receive £500 million Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) money. This would have been a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform the way we travel around, better cycle-ways, pavements, bus routes and park and ride hubs, and to achieve a step change in public transport, not only for the City but also for our villages.

The Tory County Council has been leading with TIF for nearly 2 years from its first announcement by then leader Shona Johnstone, through the submission of a bid by then leader Keith Walters to the use of TIF funding for the Transport Commission set up by current leader Jill Tuck. But last week the Cabinet Member for Transport, Matt Bradney, announced that he was unwilling to play by the rules of the Transport Innovation Fund.

Cllr Reid said: 'if this were not so serious it would be laughable. The Council has misled the people of Cambridgeshire, it has misled the government and it has misled the members of the Transport Commission. What planet are Cllr Bradney and his colleagues on?'

'The rules of TIF are clear and Cllr Johnstone knew that when she set Cambridgeshire off down this road. Without the rules Cambridgeshire would simply be competing with every other county, unitary and metropolitan council for a share of what are increasingly limited funds. Somewhat like Oliver asking for more'

'And what are we now to make of the Transport Commission? Cllr Bradney is saying he's interested in their conclusions but not to worry he's already made up his mind.'