York and North Yorkshire mayoral candidates quizzed on transport policies

On May 2, the electorate of York and North Yorkshire will decide who will be mayor of a new combined authority for the next four years.

The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority will receive £750m in funding from central government over 30 years.

Whoever is elected mayor will have new powers over housing, skills and transport - as well as being responsible for growth and taking on the role of police and crime commissioner.

But on April 8, at the Friargate Quaker Meeting House, transport was the topic each of the candidates was being quizzed on.

In attendance was each candidate (in alphabetical order of their surnames): Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, the Liberal Democrats; Keane Duncan, the Conservative Party; Kevin Foster, the Green Party; Paul Haslam, independent; David Skaith, the Labour Party; and Keith Tordoff, independent.

The hustings were organised by York Cycle Campaign and hosted by BBC Radio York’s Elly Fiorentini.

Key topics on transport were raised, including the local transport plan, 20mph speed limits, parking, provision for cyclists and dualling the ring road.

This is what each candidate said on some of the big issues facing the region.

20mph blanket speed limit

Ms Cunliffe-Lister, owner of the Swinton Estate, said she supports having 20mph speed limits as the default on roads in York and North Yorkshire.

This follows a blanket 20mph limit in built-up areas such as village and town centres being introduced in Wales.

Meanwhile, Mr Haslam said this was “a reasonable request” and Mr Foster said “I’ve already signed up to this.”

Mr Skaith and Mr Tordoff were less supportive, both saying it depended on support within the locality.

Mr Duncan, who is executive member for transport on North Yorkshire Council, said he was against blanket 20mph zones.

How to reduce car use

Ms Cunliffe-Lister, Mr Skaith and Mr Haslam all said the region needed an integrated transport system, where buses and train timetables worked together.

Mr Tordoff said active travel is important, while Mr Foster said he wouldn’t “overpromise” on transport.

Mr Duncan promised that people under 22-years-old would get £1 bus fares.

Park and ride provision

Oddly, the Belgian city of Ghent got a few mentions at the hustings.

Mr Skaith met the mayor of Ghent on a trip there and said the mindset to transport was “people-first” and that the mindset would need to change in York.

Mr Haslam said a coffee shop and a bike hire would improve York’s park and ride facilities - and Mr Tordoff said it needed to be more like a motorway service station.

Mr Duncan received some criticism from the audience as he referenced a pledge to deliver two hours of free parking in each town in the region but was quizzed on how he’d pay for it.

The Tory candidate said the role would provide funds.

On park and ride, he said it would continue as it does now, while an audience member heckled “would it be free?”

Mr Foster and Ms Cunliffe-Lister both wanted to see the park and ride facilities open for longer.

Road widening schemes

Another topic that split opinion on the panel was road-widening schemes, such as the dualling of the York Outer Ring Road and the A64.

Mr Duncan said he supported the schemes, whereas Mr Skaith was unclear whether he did or did not and spoke about needing solutions for railways and buses instead.

Mr Foster was unequivocal in his opposition to such schemes, saying it would bring more cars into the city centre.

Mr Tordoff said things needed to be done differently and Mr Haslam said “we need to be careful and consider all the options”.

Ms Cunliffe-Lister said she supports road-widening schemes but with active travel investment.

Other topics

Some topics were agreed upon by all candidates.

Everyone agreed there needed to be more provision for cyclists, and buses needed to be a priority.

All but Mr Duncan said there is a dependency on cars that needs to be reduced.