The Green Party's candidate for the Greater Manchester mayoral election, Geraldine Coggins, has endorsed proposals for "car free" Sundays and higher parking charges for larger vehicles, drawing from her work on a local authority taskforce aimed at reducing car dependency.
Taskforce Recommendations
Coggins served on Trafford Council's Reducing Car Dependency taskforce from January 2023 to February 2024. The taskforce's final report recommended exploring the feasibility of car-free days and pedestrian high streets on Sundays, implementing a strategic approach to 20mph speed limits, planting trees every 25 metres along streets, and varying parking charges based on engine and car size.
Campaign Launch
Announcing her candidacy this week, Coggins pledged a "positive" vision for Greater Manchester's future. She stated: "The Green Party has shown in Gorton and Denton and these last local elections that people are ready for a new kind of politics, one that puts communities, fairness and the future first." She added that residents are "feeling abandoned by Labour and want real change to deliver affordable homes, thriving local communities and a healthier environment."
Electoral Context
The mayoral election is scheduled for July 30. Green Party leader Zack Polanski framed the contest as a battle between the Greens and Reform UK. However, a FocalData survey for Hope Not Hate reported by the Manchester Evening News shows Labour leading with 33.2%, followed by Reform UK at 30.1%, the Greens at 12.5%, Conservatives at 11.1%, and Liberal Democrats at 7.6%. Labour has already selected Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig as its candidate, while Reform UK is expected to announce its candidate on Monday.
Transport as Key Issue
Transport is expected to be a defining issue in the Green campaign. A party spokesperson told The Times: "Geraldine makes no apology for campaigning to keep people safe on our streets when there are more than 1,000 people killed or seriously injured each year in Greater Manchester."
