• I WAS staggered by the Lib Dems’ hypocritical claim in the June 24 CNJ that they will address the road chaos created by Camden Labour, when they’ve done nothing whatsoever on the subject.

I don’t believe they raised it in a council meeting or wrote to the newspapers about it. Not once did they come up with a solution. Not once does the council’s documentation refer to councillors opposing it.

But now that there’s a by-election in Fortune Green they’re eager to claim credit for others’ work and pretend they hadn’t been silent.

By contrast, last October, I wrote a letter proposing a solution to the roadworks chaos that has plagued Camden. That solution was then tabled by Conservative councillors in the next council meeting.

That solution is to charge utility companies for each day that roads are closed: to encourage them to co-operate using powers that Camden was given in 2019, and which Transport for London has used since 2012, leading to a two-thirds reduction in roadworks disruption.

The Lib Dems didn’t propose or develop this. Indeed they actively told residents who were angry at Camden that nothing could be done. But the Conservatives didn’t accept that and worked to solve the problem.

While the Lib Dems didn’t come up with that idea I proposed back in October, they did write a letter themselves that week: to back road closures without consultation.

A Lib Dem activist wrote to say they were “militantly in favour” of road closures, like the £67,500 closure of Minster Road they now pretend to oppose.

Thankfully Conservatives worked with a local resident to bring a successful legal claim to another scheme being introduced without consultation: the cycle lane on Haverstock Hill. That changed the policy so Camden does now consult on changes, albeit inadequately.

So while the Lib Dem councillors just threw up their hands and admitted defeat, the Lib Dems wrote in support of ignoring residents.

If you want empty words and endless roadworks, vote Lib Dem or Labour. If you want action to end gridlock, reduce congestion, and improve air quality, vote Conservative.

AARTI JOSHI
Address supplied