Thousands of protesters, including an outsider anti-vaccination group, took to the streets of Cambridge on Sunday afternoon (27/02), to challenge the Greater Cambridge Partnership's (GCP) plans to introduce a £5 per-day congestion charge for driving in and around Cambridge.

Varsity attended the event and spoke to protesters about their concerns with the scheme. Many protesters described the charge as unfair, especially for people from low-income backgrounds.

Although the majority of protesters were Cambridge residents who were concerned about the direct financial impact on their lives, other individuals were also present who had travelled from across the country to take part in the protest.

Three members of the Conservative party were set to speak at the event before pulling out due to “security concerns”. This came after the announcement that Piers Corbyn, an anti-vaccine activist and brother of Jeremy Corbyn, was attending the event.

Corbyn told Varsity that he attended the events because he is “against the GCP congestion charge, but also against low-traffic neighbourhoods, clean-air zones and fifteen minute cities… as part of the long-term plan of the World Economic Forum to end all car ownership”.

Corbyn repeatedly told Varsity that vaccines, congestion charges, lockdowns and 5G towers were part of the agenda of “global elites” who believe in global depopulation. When Varsity challenged Corbyn on his views, Corbyn said that Varsity had “a list of things that you call conspiracy theories” because “the BBC don’t tell you the truth”.

Varsity also spoke to another protester at the rally, who had travelled from Essex to attend, who claimed that the congestion charge in Cambridge would mean “you’re allowed to go out 100 times a year” in a car. The protester claimed that the plan was a “climate change lockdown” and that “climate change doesn’t exist anyway”.

Co-chair of the Cambridgeshire Residents’ Group, Shyanne Roeloffs, told CambridgeshireLive that “I don’t want elements from the outside coming to usurp the message, it’s about him (Piers Corbyn) co-opting the issue, we don’t want him to be taking over the show. If we have too many elements from the outside."

The marches were organised by the Cambridgeshire Residents Group and started at midday in three different locations across the city. One group marched straight through the city centre and down King’s Parade, before the three groups converged at Parker’s Piece for a rally and speeches.

Speakers at the rally included a representative from the GMB Union as well as local politicians and small business owners.

Protesters also criticised the University for their support of the scheme, as one protester told Varsity that Cambridge residents already have to “put up with a lot having the University here”, and that residents “should not be told what they can and can’t do”.

In a statement last month, the University laid out its support for the planned council measures while highlighting that its support was conditional on the prior implementation of better public transport measures in the city.

The University said the scheme would help to “deliver against their climate ambitions” to produce “an integrated transport solution” to the “biodiversity crisis and social inequalities that the region faces”.

The proposals would mean that on weekdays, drivers who enter the congestion charge zone would have to pay a toll of £5. The zone stretches about three miles out from the city centre.

The planned travel zone is part of a series of proposed reforms to expand bus networks. Other proposals include a flat £1 bus fare in the city, and a £2 fare for longer journeys.

A petition opposing the charge has been signed by over 13,000 people. The petition will be presented to the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) later this month. The GCP will make a recommendation to the council on whether to proceed with the proposals later this year.

Varsity’s coverage of the protest will continue throughout the week.