Council reduced to laughter over Clean Air Zone debate

The motion stated the council should "refuse to support any scheme that seeks to force people out of their private vehicles without a high-quality, efficient, reliable and cost-effective alternative".

Independent Cllr Jon Hubbard suggested that the “patients had taken over the asylum”, whilst cabinet member for environment Cllr Dominic Muns compared enforcing such traffic management zones in Wiltshire would be acting like “extremists throwing orange paint around”.  

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Wiltshire Council's full council meeting was held in Trowbridge County Hall. (Image: Wiltshire Council) The motion itself was written by Cllr Muns and cabinet member for highways Cllr Nick Holder and argued that Wiltshire is a rural county in which many residents have a “significant need” to use cars.

It read: “From residents with mobility issues, young people seeking education or employment, working families travelling miles to school and work, or families with low incomes, much of Wiltshire is disconnected and relies on private vehicle use.”

Wiltshire’s Lib Dem leader Ian Thorn described it as the “worst motion” he had ever seen and that it “breeds into the whole Trumpian narrative” which is “splitting communities”.

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Wiltshire Council’s leader Richard Clewer said: “It’s critical that we don’t start imposing these punitive attempts to get cars out of towns.

“Yes, we’ve got to electrify vehicles, we’ve got to decarbonise them, we’ve got to do everything we can to support that.

“But we’ve got to equally resist, and we’ve got to make sure government understands that the solutions it seeks to impose, the solutions that may well work in central London, will not work for us.”

Cabinet member for transport Cllr Tamara Reay noted that Wiltshire’s transport emissions had reduced by two per cent since last year and praised the work that had led to this reduction.

However, the 2024 Green Party parliamentary candidate for Melksham and Devizes, Catherine Read, argued it was “fantasy” to claim people were being forced out of their cars and that it “undermined the credibility of the council”.

The chair of Wiltshire Climate Alliance, Andrew Nicolson agreed that it was “divisive rhetoric” that moved in “the wrong direction”.

Liberal Democrat Cllr David Vigar said: “I don’t understand what this is about, it sounds like somewhere out there, there is somebody who wants to drag us kicking and screaming out of our cars.”

He stated: “It doesn’t happen in Bath, it doesn’t happen in London, and it’s not happening here.”  

Cllr Holder argued that the proposal was simply calling for alternatives to be in place before asking residents to give up their cars, whilst Cllr Vigar suggested an amendment that would commit the council to pursuing “all means” to increase such alternatives.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Derek Walters added: “I haven’t had such a good laugh since I was elected in this chamber.”

Cllr Vigar’s amendment was rejected, and Cllr Muns said: “I want all members to acknowledge the difference in travel opportunities that exist for residents in Wiltshire, and I want to avoid the demonisation of those people who cannot live without their cars.”

Independent Cllr Matthew Dean claimed: “The issue for us in the middle that are trying to act with an element of pragmatism is that this sort of stuff winds people up and gives the wrong impression of who we are and what sort of council we should be.”

After debating the topic for over an hour, the motion was approved, with 41 councillors voting for it, 23 councillors voting against it, and 12 councillors abstaining.