Elections 2021: Our first Mayor of West Yorkshire

On 6th May 2021 we head to the polls to vote for our first Mayor of West Yorkshire. Whoever wins the vote will chair and lead the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Representing 2.3 million residents, this Mayor role is super important, especially in their ability to help tackle the climate crisis. They will have control over housing, land, regeneration, adult skills, and transport, and will have powers that were once held at Westminster* - so let’s not waste our votes!

So I’ve pulled together some key information about the different candidates’ positions relating to Car Free Cities. I’d urge you to do your own research too, to get a better view of where the candidates stand on these issues and other policy areas too, but see some of their thoughts below on public transport and mass transit, walking and cycling, the climate crisis and greenspace, and car use.

(*In March 2020, West Yorkshire’s five council leaders - of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield - agreed a devolution deal with the central government. A deal that will bring more money to the region under local control - at least £1.8 billion! The Mayor of West Yorkshire and our local councils will decide on how this is spent.)

What do the mayoral candidates think about Car Free Cities?

Listed in order of surname, alphabetically. Click to expand.

+ Reform UK: Wajid Ali

Public transport and mass transit

Pledges to invest in greener public transport
Wants to commission a report looking at buses; who is running late, and which companies are the biggest culprits. Those who are not pulling their weight will be put on probation. Those on probation who do not fulfil probation criteria will be struck off.

Climate crisis and greenspace

Is against building on greenbelt

Car use

Keen to tackle air pollution, but is against any future Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charge or congestion charge
Wants to allow greater access to bus lanes for greener vehicles

+ The Labour Party: Tracy Brabin

Public transport and mass transit

Wants to bring buses back under public control, introduce simple fares, contactless ticketing, and greener buses - buses that work for people not profit, connecting us not just to the big cities, but to each other, with a flat fare that works across the whole of our region
Dedicated to ensuring we have a public transport network that works for everyone in the region, including a much needed regional Mass Transit network

Walking and cycling

Wants as many people who are able, to be able to walk on foot, and be safer whether using mobility scooters, wheelchairs or skateboards
Wants to improve walking across the region as we look to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic
Believes tackling pavement space issues (like pavement parking) is key for improving greater independence for our disabled members of society
Thinks appointing a Walking and Cycling Commissioner “makes sense”, but also keen to make sure the role is supported from the Mayor’s office

Climate crisis and greenspace

Pledges to lead the battle to tackle the climate emergency and protect our environment

Car use

Keen to make pavements more attractive and accessible. They believe this will help in their commitment to reduce carbon emissions by getting more cars off the road
Motivated to get as many people out of petrol-guzzling cars as possible
Thinks School Streets are important; wants to make sure that families and children are at the centre of decisions made
A 20mph default also “makes sense” to Tracy - and starting around schools “makes emotional sense” to her
With regards to Vision Zero, she believes we’re heading in the right direction already, but there is more to do. In her opinion, ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras) has been hugely successful and would like to see a roll out of that more widely.

+ The Yorkshire Party: Bob Buxton

Public transport and mass transit

Keen to allow all bus passes to be used during rush hour
Would like to reduce prices with smart tap and pay across all bus and rail services
Keen to develop more railway stations with park and ride facilities
Aims to reduce air pollution with electric buses and promoting biofuels, especially for air travel
Keen to deliver a West Yorkshire mass transit system

Walking and cycling

Wants to implement better planned cycleways
Keen to promote safer walking and cycling, especially to school, and protect public rights of way
Rather than appointing a Walking and Cycling Commissioner, he would prefer a volunteers panel of passionate people

Climate crisis and greenspace

Pledges to target and regenerate brownfield sites, rather than the greenbelt
Believes that mass transit is the best way to cut air pollution
Believes Yorkshire has pretty good geography for onshore wind

Car use

Wants to tackle speeding, drink and drugs-driving, and fix potholes
Keen to reduce transport and parking costs for health and social care workers
Wants to tackle rat-running
Wants to see more electric charging points, and electric buses
Hopes to get the Inland Port built, thus reducing road freight
Believes that School Streets are a great idea where they’re practically possible
Wants to make sure people have an alternative to driving
Believes pavement parking should be a ticketable offence and enforced
Agrees to a 20mph default in residential areas, and believes there are some hot spots where this should have more enforcement
Supports Vision Zero, through a mass transit system
Supports education on driving safety to commence earlier than 17-years old

+ The Green Party: Andrew Cooper

Public transport and mass transit

Keen to invest in creating accessible and affordable public transport
Believes that public transport needs to be brought back under public control
Believes existing bus services should face fines if and when services are delayed/cancelled, and people need to report when this happens

Walking and cycling

Believes providing for pedestrians should be a top priority and is keen to provide and ensure new infrastructure is safe and attractive for walking and cycling
Wants a much greater emphasis on walking, cycling, and public transport
Interested in promoting pedestrianisation via ‘slow ways’
Would like to install more footpaths where possible
Would appoint a Walking and Cycling Commissioner, but with a commission to back up the commissioner

Climate crisis and greenspace

Keen to protect our greenspaces by pushing for the development of brownfield sites first
Has said that the environment will be at the heart of every decision he makes

Car use

Wants to give police the resources to tackle speeding and dangerous driving
Recognises the opportunity that vehicle charging points bring, and looks to incorporate the infrastructure wisely
Andrew’s chosen deputy’s passion is to reduce road traffic, tackling air pollution and carbon emissions. He believes we must make promoting active travel a priority on the basis that it is better for our health and the health of our environment.
Believes the new Mayor needs to shift focus away from supporting the car and auto-transport
Has said that vehicle idling (leaving the engine running whilst the car is stationary) should be made an offence; making it clear that it’s not acceptable. He’d like to see police enforce this
To show it is a priority to the Mayor, he would like to see monthly reports on how many tickets are given to pavement parking
Agrees to 20mph default
Supports Vision Zero, but would like an action plan to achieve it

+ The Liberal Democrat Party: Stewart Golton

Public transport and mass transit

Wants every community to benefit from better transport links, new green jobs, and affordable housing, not just a few favoured areas
Pledges to end public transport spending that allows private bus companies to increase their profits while doing little to address unreliability and rising prices
Would like more investment in local bus routes, and safer walking, and cycling
Believes that we shouldn’t have to wait for HS2 to be able to benefit from better local rail services
Would like to see every local community enabled to deliver their own local transport plan; enabling each community to think about how they wish to develop, especially post-covid

Walking and cycling

Advocates for safer walking, and cycling
Believes our streets should be accessible to all at all times (i.e. during the day and in the evenings)
Wants to pay attention to walkways; they need to be safeguarded and enhanced
Would not appoint a Walking and Cycling Commissioner. He has stated that he doesn’t think it’s right to give such an important job to one person and expect them to solve it; it’s everybody’s job

Climate crisis and greenspace

Keen to make sure people can experience nature properly

Car use

Is open to the idea of road charging policy (i.e. charging a fee to drive through certain areas) as an appropriate way to help tackle air quality
Also advocates variable charges for off and on peak times to help encourage flexible working, but highlights that Universal Basic Income would be needed to help people pay upfront for public transport options (like season tickets) so that they are then less likely to choose their car
Supports 20mph default
Supports Vision Zero

Other

Wants to focus on stimulating the economies of smaller town centres; creating 15 minute neighbourhoods that recognise and enable the potential of flexible working

+ The English Democrats: Therese Hirst

Public transport and mass transit

Therese pledges to ensure our region benefits from a transport system that is a modern mass transit system through access to the new five-year integrated transport settlement
Supports the need for a mass transit system
Intends to penalise the big bus companies who fail to deliver promised services

Walking and cycling

Aims to improve access to walking, cycling, and picnic areas for families

+ The Conservative Party: Matt Robinson

Public transport and mass transit

Wants to see a transport system that connects up the whole of the region. Mass transit, HS2, NPR; clean, green, and on time transport
Would like to ensure the delivery of a viable, efficient, and future proofed mass transit system, creating transport hubs and improving connections for our towns and rural communities so that they don’t feel cut off or miss out on new opportunities
Wants to see schemes like NPR and HS2 delivered so we can create jobs, secure investment and improve transport links

Walking and cycling

Would appoint a Walking and Cycling Commissioner
Claims that we don’t always have to walk alongside the road and that we should be championing off-road and public rights of way too

Climate crisis and greenspace

Pledges to protect our greenbelt and bring forward brownfield land first and regenerate those sites before the greenbelt is considered.
Pledges to deliver the Northern Forest here in West Yorkshire: planting more trees, creating woodland and new habitats
Keen to protect our rivers, streams, canals and watercourses, not just for flood prevention, but to ensure that our water is clean
Believes that ensuring people live within a 10-15 min walk from woodland has to be a priority, not just for climate change but for the wellbeing agenda he wishes to champion

Car use

Pledges to cut congestion for drivers, holding councils to account and getting extra government funds for roads
Wants to a new road safety plan for every single ward across West Yorkshire so residents can hold to account councils and the police; making sure areas that matter most to residents are tackled
Design out deaths and injuries on roads by giving motorist visibility of where pedestrians and horses are going to be crossing
Is against a congestion charge as he believes it hits the lowest earners and those on a fixed income the hardest
Keen to trial 20mph default speed limits around schools and high streets, with potential of rolling it out to more areas if people are OK with it
Supports Vision Zero

Don’t forget to vote!

Voting is one of the best ways we can take direct action in our country and make our voices heard. Every vote counts! So get yourself down to the polls on 6th May.

For more information about the voting process (Supplementary Voting System) and what to expect at the polling station see The West Yorkshire Combined Authority candidate booklet.

Election day: Thursday 6th May 2021