No Say, No Pay is calling for Bristol City Council to give residents a referendum on whether a road-toll scheme is introduced in Bristol when voting in local council and European Parliament elections takes place across the city in June.

You can support by signing the petition below.

Bristol is one of the cities earmarked nationwide for a road-toll, or 'congestion-charge' scheme, like the one set up in London. In 2008, Manchester held a referendum on whether or not it should introduce a congestion-charge. The people said 'no'.

But Labour and the Liberal Democrats have refused to give Bristol people the say on what Bristol people would have to pay. When the Conservatives put forward a motion to have a referendum in the Council House, Labour and Liberal Democrats actually voted against giving the City a referendum on the controversial road-toll scheme.

But the No Say, No Pay campaign, set up by local campaigner and Conservative Prospective MP Charlotte Leslie, believes that it should be the people of Bristol who make the decision, not the bureaucrats.

And Bristol City Council has a unique opportunity to hold a referendum on the controversial road-toll when the whole city votes in European Elections and Local Council Elections in June. Holding the referendum at the same time as other elections are taking place across the city would dramatically cut the costs.

Cllr. Richard Eddy, leader of the Conservative Council Group and member of the No Say, No Pay campaign says:

"Labour and the Lib Dems seem determined to stamp on democracy and plough on through with their plans, regardless what people want. That is not what local democracy is all about. Conservatives believe that it should be the people of Bristol, not bureaucrats who decide the future of our city.

We know the Labour party in Bristol is under intense pressure from the Government to get a congestion charge through without hassle - but it is outrageous that they should be prepared to cast democracy aside to sacrifice Bristol as a guinea pig for another New Labour experiment. "

The director of No Say, No Pay, Charlotte Leslie says:

"There are arguments for and against a road-toll scheme. There is no doubt that we need urgent improvements to our public transport system, and that Bristol is in gridlock. But I fear for Bristol businesses that will be damaged by the scheme. I also worry that it will be people who are hardest off who will be hardest hit - at a time when everyone is feeling the strain of the credit crunch.

That's why it is so important we get all the arguements out in the open, and it is the people of Bristol who decide".

News

No Say No Pay challenges the City Council to listen to the people of Bristol and give us the referendum we deserve on whether our city should be subject to road-tolls.

Sign the petition below if you believe that Bristol people should have the say on what Bristol people would have to pay. Feel free to leave comments in the comment box, which will be published on this site.

I call on Bristol City Council to give the people of Bristol the say on whether the City should be subject to a road-toll by holding a referendum on the same day as Local Council and European Elections in June 2009.

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Comments

Christian Felcher I agree, it is a disgrace to deny us a say on whether there should be a congestion charge. A denial of our civil liberties! The nanny state continues regardless of what the ordinary man in the street thinks.

John James Start listening to the taxpayers!

Neil Taylor The good people of Bristol know that this is nothing more than yet another tax on hard working men and women.

John Swindells

Roger Gristwood We already pay road tax and congestion charges have been proven not to work in London.

Chris Greater Manchester gave us the vote and look what happened. Councils and Local Gov. already know the outcome of any referendum.. We do not want or need congestion charges. Gov and councils have spent years and millions of pounds slowing traffic down, now all of a sudden congestion is our fault for driving the cars that we spend so much to keep running.

Matthew Stimpson A congestion charge is a disgraceful idea!!!

Andrew Evans I entirely support your actions.

Graham Give the people of Bristol a referendum

Mark Lewis I'd like to know where all these motoring taxes go it's certainly not on the roads or as far as I can see any environmental schemes. This of course is just another excuse disguised in green issues to get more taxes from us. They hope we will just ignore it till it's too late.

F. Eckersley No, congestion charge, car owners already pay for the roads!

Francis

Francis We as a country have our troops fighting against dictators. Our people need to be brought back home to fight here on our soil against what we condem elsewhere in the world.

Rosaline Harper Manchester said NO we won. So Bristol say no and show the Council you mean it.

Neil Topham another outrageous move by an out of touch government - they must be stopped!

Barry Ward

Al. Young I thought we lived in a democracy, but its getting more like a dictatorship every day

Philip Glover This is yet another tax from this car hating Labour Government which detests Democracy. For the sake of Democracy the people of Bristol must have a referendum on this issue!

Sheila Walter

David Sherwell I voted NO in Manchester. The Government is hawking this around having been rebuffed by Edinburgh and Manchester. This is the thin end of a huge wedge with which a national charging scheme will be rolled in. Our LA spent £3million on trying to convince us to say Yes! Stay strong, Bristolians. Resist the State Criminalisation of the Motorist.

Wilma Greene Give the people a vote it is there right

Brian Gautier I do not live in Bristol but visit often to relieve myself of some of my disposable income. I agree that the people of Bristol should have a say on this important issue. As well as having a considered opposition to congestion charging as a principle, if it is ever introduced in Bristol then I'll be spending my pennies elsewhere.

graham367 1m bonus as congestion falls Chris Osuh February 24, 2009 GREATER Manchester has secured a £1m bonus for cutting traffic levels while the congestion charge debate raged. The region voted overwhelmingly in December to reject a government deal that would have seen nearly £3bn spent on public transport in return for a peak-hour charge of up to £5 a day. At the time, senior politicians claimed increasing traffic levels could damage Greater Manchester's economy in the decade to come. Now the ten boroughs have been awarded £978,356 by the government after official figures revealed the amount of people travelling on major roads had actually been going DOWN. The number of people using the roads fell 8.6 per cent in the last quarter of 2008, while journey times were down by 1.6 per cent. The cash comes from the government's Urban Congestion Performance Fund and must be invested in further reducing congestion. A spokesman for the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive claimed the figures reflected more people using public transport during the congestion-charge debate. "There was an increased awareness of public transport over that period which may have led to more people considering alternatives to driving," said the spokesman. "The long-term view is that congestion is still increasing." But former `No' campaigners said the figures proved money had been wasted on the campaign. Sean Corker, of Manchester Against Road Tolls, said: "Tens of millions of pounds were spent on the congestion charge plans over a two-year campaign, and now we are told congestion is going down. "Someone has not been telling the truth and it is time somebody resigned." The Government warned last night that it should not be assumed congestion would continue to fall. Indications A Department for Transport spokesman told the MEN: "All the indications are that long-term congestion is on the increase, which is why we are working with local authorities, for instance with the Transport Innovation Fund. "These figures cover a relatively short period of time. It is possible to minimise the impact in a short period but in the long-term there might have to be further measures. "Congestion is expected to grow to the level where it harms economic growth." The £60m Urban Congestion Performance Fund has been set up to help the country's ten largest urban areas identify and tackle the causes of congestion on major routes. More money will be made available if the city continues to progress. Nationwide, congestion fell by around three per cent. Transport Minister Paul Clark said he was `delighted' to award Greater Manchester the cash, claiming it would lead to `faster, safer and more reliable journeys'. "Congestion has serious consequences for the economy and the environment and is a frustrating experience for all road users," he said. "Across England we have now provided nearly £23 million to the participating authorities to tackle urban congestion which is responsible for 80 per cent of all our congestion problems."

alan hayward just another tax on the working class the main parties labour /tories /lib have lost their way

Leanne Sowersby