Tory ‘Red Wall’ MP Nick Fletcher hits out at ‘international socialist concept’ of ’15-minute cities’ as he condemns low emission zones and warns traffic control measures will ‘cost us our personal freedom’
- Conservative MP hits out at ‘international socialist concept’ of ’15-minute cities’
- Nick Fletcher warns urban planning idea ‘will cost us our personal freedom’
Tory MP Nick Fletcher today hit out at the ‘international socialist concept’ of ’15-minute cities’ as he warned traffic control measures will ‘cost our personal freedom’.
The Don Valley MP, the first Conservative to ever represent the South Yorkshire seat, demanded a parliamentary debate on the shake-up of town and city centres.
A ’15-minute city’ is an urban planning idea aimed at ensuring that everything local residents need can be reached within a quarter of an hour by foot or bike.
It means there should be minimal travel – especially by cars – between housing, offices, restaurants, parks, hospitals, pubs and clubs.
The idea has gained popularity since the Covid pandemic, when lockdowns forced people to remain in their local neighbourhoods, and the subsequent growth in home-working.
Tory MP Nick Fletcher demanded a parliamentary debate on the shake-up of town and city centres
Many local councils introduced low traffic neighbourhoods during the first Covid lockdown to encourage walking and cycling
A string of cities have also recently unveiled plans for low emission zones – like London’s expanding ULEZ – despite fierce opposition from some residents
Many local councils introduced low traffic neighbourhoods during the first Covid lockdown to encourage walking and cycling.
A string of cities have also recently unveiled plans for low emission zones – like London’s expanding ULEZ – despite fierce opposition from some residents.
Oxfordshire County Council was last year forced to push back at false claims it is imposing a ‘climate change lockdown’ with a scheme to reduce traffic congestion.
Mr Fletcher this morning waded into the intense debate over the future of Britain’s cities and towns and the growth in restrictions on vehicle drivers.
Speaking in the House of Commons this morning, he called for MPs’ time to be set aside ‘for a debate on the international socialist concept of so-called 15-minute cities and 20-minute neighbourhoods’.
‘Ultra low emissions zones in their present form do untold economic damage to any city, however the second step after these zones will take away personal freedoms as well,’ he added.
‘Sheffield is already on this journey and I do not want Doncaster, which is also a Labour-run socialist council, to do the same.
‘Low emission zones cost the taxpayer money, simple as. However 15-minute cities will cost us our personal freedom and that cannot be right.’
Mr Fletcher’s remarks were met with laughter among some other MPs in the Commons chamber.
But Penny Mordaunt, the Leader of the House of Commons, insisted it was ‘right that people raise concerns about this particular kind of policy’.
She replied to Mr Fletcher: ‘Whatever the motivations for this new policy which some councils are adopting, I think that the hardworking people of this country, their lives are complicated enough.
‘Especially at the moment when we are trying to boost the local economy, we are trying to get tradesmen and sole traders being able to boost their income.
‘I think it is right that people raise concerns about this particular kind of policy, and of course we would want to see that where such policies were being forwarded that local communities were being properly consulted.’
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