Steve Smith, the Conservative candidate for the West of England Metro Mayor, has pledged to put a stop to new funding for liveable neighborhoods in Bath and Bristol if he secures the position. As the election for the West of England Combined Authority’s leadership approaches on May 1, Smith has voiced his opposition to various transport initiatives, emphasizing that he has been constantly hearing from constituents about feeling imposed upon by the introduction of low traffic neighborhoods and bus lanes.
In an interview with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Smith stated, “I am hearing from people across the West of England all the time that things are being imposed upon them… what people are saying to me is we didn’t ask for this and we didn’t want this.” He further expressed his intention to pull funding for some ongoing and future projects, including those planned for Park Street and the A4 Keynsham bypass.
The potential impact of his stance would be significant, given the increasing influence the mayor role is expected to have under the English Devolution plans. Smith’s position on funding allocation and project support differentiates him from the other candidates in the race, as they gear up for the election on Thursday May 1.
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The forthcoming election has a registration deadline of midnight on Friday April 11, and voters are required to possess accepted forms of photo ID.