Young people in Cambridgeshire are calling for urgent action on traffic reduction and carbon emissions in the area following the launch of a campaign supporting proposals for a sustainable travel zone. 

Young supporters of the Cambridgeshire Sustainable Travel Alliance have one question for those unsure about proposals for traffic reduction in Cambridge: “If not now, then when?”. 

They and their families are calling for faster action across Cambridgeshire. 

They are asking that anyone who wants to see safe cycling and walking routes, better buses, reduced pollution and carbon emissions, and a nicer city for everyone to have their say now in the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) Making Connections consultation. 

The Cambridgeshire Sustainable Travel Alliance supports the ‘yes to better buses’ event being arranged by the ‘Cambridge parents for the Sustainable Travel Zone’ group for Saturday December 10. 

It encourages everyone in the region to respond to the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s consultation before December 23 and explains the easiest way to do this at cambstravelalliance.org/STZ-now. 

According to the alliance, transport accounts for 20% of carbon emissions in Cambridge and 44% in the wider Cambridgeshire and Peterborough region. 

The GCP predicts that its proposals for a Cambridge Sustainable Travel Zone would cut car journeys by 50%, saving 33,300 tonnes of CO2e in the first year alone. 

Eleanor, a parent and rural resident of Cambridgeshire, said she thought the benefits of the scheme would be “less congestion and pollution in Cambridge, easier and safer transport for those who don’t drive, and cuts in fossil fuel use to help mitigate the worse effects of climate change.” 

The GCP’s plans for Greater Cambridge would provide a £50million investment in bus services and fare reductions, along with improvements to walking and cycling infrastructure. 

These sustainable transport options would gain further funding from a road charge which would be introduced from 2025 once alternatives were in place. 

Peter, a retired resident living in the city, said that reducing vehicle movement could “enable a real contribution to the regional and national targets to reduce carbon and particulate emissions” and would also be beneficial for health.