Lib Dems warn against council starting a “war on cars”

Liverpool Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Carl Cashman has warned that the Council “can’t afford to get this wrong,” saying that if they do, they risk losing public trust.

Liverpool City Council has published its parking strategy consultation, which could radically shake up how people access the city centre.

Cllr Carl Cashman, Leader of the Liverpool Liberal Democrats, argued that if the Council fails to get parking right, it risks scaring off visitors and damaging Liverpool’s local economy. He went as far as to say that Labour is risking a “war on cars” if they fail to take the public with them on this issue.

This comes after massive public outcry over Labour’s decision to cut free evening parking in the city centre.

The Liberal Democrats insisted that the Council should not make any rash judgments that could be seen by residents and visitors as a “war on cars.” They argue that the way to do this is not to punish people who need to park in the city centre—such as disabled drivers—but instead to make it the norm for people travelling into the city to make use of public transport.

Cllr Cashman also claimed that Labour’s report ignores the long-term trend of increasing ownership of electric and hybrid vehicles in the city and warned that Labour risks targeting drivers who have already made the switch.

The Liverpool Lib Dem leader stated that councillors should lead from the front by giving up their free parking passes if these changes go ahead.

Cllr Carl Cashman said:

"Residents and visitors are getting so many mixed messages from the Council that it risks becoming a war on cars and turning people away. We should be actively encouraging more people to come to Liverpool and spend money, not sending a message that if you drive in, you’re not wanted.

“We shouldn’t villainise people who choose to drive in — sometimes it’s the most sensible option. If you’re disabled, have low mobility, or are travelling in a large group, taking a car might be the most practical choice.

“Many people now drive electric vehicles, which will be the norm in a few years’ time. If the Council rushes this, they risk damaging Liverpool’s economy by discouraging car users whose vehicles are now much more environmentally friendly.

“We know what gets people out of their cars — joined-up thinking around mass transit — and at the moment, that doesn’t exist in Liverpool.

“The Labour Party has no ambition for Liverpool. They said that a tram system for our city wasn’t possible, but the Lib Dems know that it is. Look at Metrolink in Manchester: they have late-night trams that connect to the city centre and multiple large park-and-ride sites to encourage people to park away from the centre. This is what we should strive for in Liverpool.

“What is being completely ignored is why people choose to drive into the city centre — because they can’t rely on public transport. This is a massive issue for the night-time economy. We raised this when Labour ignored their own consultation and scrapped free evening parking. We have gigs that finish at the arena at midnight but no trains to get concert-goers home. It’s little wonder people choose to drive in rather than take public transport.

“We need to get this right first — work across the city region and beyond with local businesses, other councils, transport providers, residents, visitors, and other key stakeholders to get public buy-in and ensure a coordinated approach.

“What a Lib Dem administration would prioritise is making sure we bring people with us to find a sensible, long-term solution that incentivises people to use public transport when coming into the city centre — not some ideological war on cars. We need to get the mass transit infrastructure in place to start a behavioural shift away from car use before making major changes to parking in the city. Not doing that risks pushing visitors away from the city centre, which could have a massive knock-on effect.

“As councillors, we need to lead by example, and if that means giving up our free parking permits and using public transport instead, then the Liberal Democrats are behind that.”