THE FINAL VOTE: CONSISTENT CONSERVATIVES PREPARE TO BACK RESIDENTS AGAIN WITH ORDER TO REMOVE CYCLE LANE - BUT LABOUR WOBBLES AT ELEVENTH HOUR
- Conservative amendment published ahead of tomorrow’s key meeting ordering the immediate removal of Old Shoreham Road Temporary Cycle Lane with no further delays
- This will be the 6th occasion Conservatives have voted to remove the lane, having been consistently behind residents since the start.
- In concern for residents, Labour has no amendment published.
The Conservatives are preparing to back residents and vote remove the Old Shoreham Road Temporary Cycle Lane at tomorrow’s decisive meeting on the matter.
The Conservative amendment to the report, published this afternoon after the 4pm deadline for amendments expired, orders the immediate removal of the Phase 1 Old Shoreham Road Temporary Cycle Lanes, which were installed and by Brighton & Hove City Council’s Labour administration on 10 May 2020 without consultation with residents.
An amendment to the report is required because it currently recommends the retention of the lanes, contrary to the democratic decision of the Council made two weeks ago to remove it.
This will be the sixth time that the Conservative Group has voted to remove the Old Shoreham Road Temporary Cycle Lane, having consistently backed the residents suffering from congestion and pollution in the vicinity.
Labour has had no amendment released to the Council report and has yet to clarify its position, causing concern to local residents that it is wobbling before the decisive vote tomorrow.
Conservative Group Transport Spokesperson Cllr Robert Nemeth, who will represent the Conservative Group at the meeting tomorrow, said that he was greatly concerned that Labour was wobbling in its position.
“The deadline for amendments has passed and the Conservatives have made our position clear - as it always has been on this issue - with an amendment published ordering the immediate removal of the Old Shoreham Road Temporary Cycle Lanes.
“Our Conservative Team has stood with residents from the start and been consistent, voting on 5 previous occasions to have the lanes removed, while Labour and Greens voted to keep them in place.
“Labour finally came around to our way of thinking at the fifth time of asking at the Special Meeting last month, in the face of overwhelming community sentiment in the latest consultation on the matter.
“However, with just hours to go before the decisive vote at 11am tomorrow, it is of great concern to residents that Labour has not had any amendment published to the council report, which calls for the cycle lanes to remain.
“There appears to be a wobbling in the Labour Group over their position at the last moment which will be of great concern to the residents.
“The Council must finally listen to the residents who have completed two separate consultations, signed petitions, attended Council meetings and each and every time told Councillors in no uncertain terms that they want this cycle lane gone.
“There must be no last minute wobbles from Labour and residents will be watching closely tomorrow to see if Labour backs the Conservative Amendment to unequivocally remove the Temporary cycle lanes, or instead sides with the Greens” Cllr Nemeth added.
ENDS.
