24 Jun 2023
An anonymous campaign has been launched to thwart what it perceives to be a drive by SADC to take away our basic freedom to travel.
It is another attack on the concept of the 15-minute city, or in this case, the ’20-minute neighbourhood’, and calls on residents to have their say at the council chamber on Wednesday July 5 at 6.45pm.
As explained in a recent article within the pages of the St Albans Times, the basic concept is that you are no more than 15 minutes away on foot or cycle from essential amenities like a grocery store, the gym, parks, the cinema and school.
But according to leaflets distributed across the city, district and county councils are backing proposals to use parking congestion plans to “implement restrictive zones throughout our town [sic]”.
This includes automatic fines for travelling out of your ‘Zone’ too many times per year, and 24/7 numberplate surveillance.
It ominously warns that no cars will be exempt, not even electric ones!
“Could it affect you and your family? Do you drive out of town [sic] to work, school, or college? Choose to educate your children in a neighbouring village? Visit family that live outside of St Albans? Do you love a family day out? A road trip? Or travel to watch your favourite team?
“Maybe you care for an elderly or disabled loved one and chauffeur for their needs? Or do you even have regular trips to the hospital? Are you a musician or entertainer?
“Then the answer is yes!”
It claims St Albans County Council [sic] has pledged to reduce carbon emissions and reach net zero by 2030-2035, but suggests this will require a restriction of movement with the introduction of ‘zones’ or ‘districts’ in our town [sic]. Surveillance cameras will limit the number of times per year that one can travel out of their ‘zone’.
The leaflet’s concluding statement actually serves to highlight the ridiculousness of their claims: “Communities across the country will need to have in place access to enough employment, education for all ages, places of worship, fresh food, social and recreational areas, dentists, GP surgeries, hospitals, all within a 20 minute round trip on food or bike for everybody…”
The purpose of the leaflet appears to be to urge opponents to this agenda to grill the councillors sitting on the City Neighbourhoods Committee, which is the only council meeting scheduled to take place at 6.45pm on July 5.
However, the remit of the CNC does not encompass anything of relevance to the idea of 15-minute cities or 20-minute neighbourhoods. As set out clearly on the SADC website, its Terms of Reference include:
“To review policy and budget decision making annually for non-strategic city centre assets including smaller parks, war memorials, allotments, public conveniences, playgrounds and open spaces.”
Exactly how the author(s) of the leaflet think this was in any way connected to their conspiracy is unclear.
The St Albans Times approached council leader Cllr Chris White to seek his opinion on the allegations, only to find the CNC meeting has actually been cancelled as he is away at the annual LGA (Local Government Association) Conference, and it should never have been scheduled for that date.
He added: “One or two people seem to have believed this nonsense, but judging from my inbox not many. The key thing to notice is that the leaflet has no imprint so that you don’t know the name and address of who or what is sending it out. This is the acid test for fake news and so people can rest assured that there is not a scrap of truth in what the leaflet suggests.
“A simple planning idea (facilities should be no more than 20 minutes away from where you live) has fantastically been turned by malicious actors into some sort of dystopian zoning system. Good for science fiction. Not good for the blood pressure!”
