Most of us use a car, either as a driver or passenger, and yet while motorists are generally good for our economy, it feels like they are blamed for much of life’s ills and treated as easy cash cows to milk. This view permeates throughout government and town halls, and it needs challenging.
Don’t get me wrong, I use trains and buses as well as driving and I’m all for good public transport and encouraging walking and cycling, but never at the cost of making life ever more frustrating and expensive for motorists, which we are increasingly seeing from those in power.
Petrol prices have risen by well over 25% since February and it took sustained pressure from Conservative MPs in Parliament to force the Labour Government to stop their planned 5p a litre fuel duty rise next month, although they only delayed it until December. It needs removing completely.
West Sussex County Council, which now has the LibDems and Reform as the joint two largest parties, are increasing their parking charges in Crawley by an average of an inflation-busting 10% from 1 October. These are for on-street parking meters in the town centre and nearby in West Green, as well as their car parks at Telford Place and Crawley Library. Councils should be encouraging people to come into our struggling town centre, not discouraging. This is in stark contrast to when we Conservatives were the largest party at West Sussex CC, when two years ago we froze parking charges.
The County Council are also planning to waste a huge sum of public money on building a new cycle lane alongside the road on Northgate Avenue, a key artery into Crawley town centre. This is frustrating when there is already a cycle path here alongside the footpath. Traffic on this non-residential road will be artificially slowed to accommodate a shiny new cycle lane like those already in the town centre, where you almost never see a cyclist. Only Conservatives Councillor stand up for motorists in Crawley, but with no Conservatives from Crawley at County Hall, our town is very poorly served.
Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group
12th August 2026
