Today (19th January 2020) Jamie Wallis MP and Cllr Tom Giffard, Leader of the Conservative Group on Bridgend County Borough Council, have called on the Cardiff Council to withdraw the proposals to introduce a “Congestion Charge” for people from outside Cardiff visiting the City.
Highlighting the concerns of residents in a letter to the leader of Bridgend Council, Jamie Wallis MP and Cllr Giffard said: “Whilst we remain keen to do all we can to tackle climate change, as I’m sure you are aware, this would have a massive detrimental impact on the people of Bridgend, who rely on traveling to Cardiff for work and leisure.
“What is most egregious about this is that the residents of Cardiff who are making short journeys within the City, where public transport is most available, are not facing having to pay to access the City.
Cllr Giffard and Jamie Wallis MP went on to say: “As you are aware, Bridgend Council is a participating council in the Cardiff City Deal, which the Conservative Group on the Council has supported in the past. We supported this because of the benefits of a turbocharged economy right across the region would vastly improve the local economy here in Bridgend. However, if the City Deal delivers no tangible benefits for the people of Bridgend, or Bridgend residents are now punished for the economic success of the city of Cardiff, we clearly could no longer support such an arrangement.
“We are therefore calling on you to write to the Leader of Cardiff Council, calling on him to withdraw these proposals. This is an attack on the commuters of Bridgend, and some of the poorest communities in Wales, and the people of Bridgend need to know that both their MP and their council are opposed to these plans.”