Wakefield elections launch: Greens to push for free bus travel for under 22s, Zack Polanski says

Around 400 people packed into WX Wakefield, a council-owned community building, to hear the London Assembly member speak.

Wakefield is the only part of West Yorkshire without a Green councillor, however the party is confident this will change in May.

The whole of the council - which has been run by Labour for decades - is up for election, and the Greens believe they can challenge the ruling party..

Mr Polanski told this paper that the “target seat” for his party is Wakefield North,

“Winning and breaking through is the aim at this election and then at future elections you look to build and start to lead oppositions and start to lead councils,” he explained.

“In other parts of Yorkshire, like Sheffield, we’re obviously further along the line.”

He said the Greens would be targeting deeper inroads in Sheffield, Bradford and Halifax where they already have a base of councillors.

“The message is the same wherever we are in Yorkshire - the old two parties have let you down and people are ready for difference,” Mr Polanski said.

“I know I’m not the only party leader saying that at this election, but the distinction is I would say Reform wants to further the division in our communities.

“A big part of why our communities are divided is austerity and a lack of funding. Reform doesn't have the answers to that.

“The Green Party is saying we’re actually funding local councils properly, and within that focusing on people and the planet.”

As part of this, the Greens have promised free bus travel to under 22s in areas where they are in power.

“We have got a political choice to make here,” he said.

“We can continue to provide tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires or indeed subsidise jet fuel and aviation for millions of pounds.

“Or we can put that money into our local communities and into young people.

“Whether it's training, job interviews or even just to see their mates, not being able to afford buses that aren’t accessible is a huge barrier.”

This policy was called for in a cross-party Transport Select Committee report, and in some parts of Yorkshire, like Barnsley, a similar policy for free bus travel for all under 18s has been brought in.

Wakefield Council and the combined authority have brought in a free city bus - the WFD - which goes via both railway stations, Trinity and The Ridings centre.

“Our councillors will be pushing the mayor in areas where the mayor has that regulatory power and nationally we will be making sure we make that case to the national government,” he said.

Three Green candidates launched the party’s Wakefield manifesto at WX on Saturday - Kate Dodd, Ashton Howick and Olli Watkins.

Ms Dodd said their plans would help Wakefield become “more inclusive, more socially conscious and more environmentally conscious".

In particular, the candidates called for a greater focus on the voluntary and community sector from the local authority.

And on transport, Mr Howick urged Mayor Tracy Brabin to bring Wakefield into her bus franchising programme sooner.

“Public transport is awful in Wakefield, it is in the back of the queue for bus franchising and Tracy Brabin’s plans for trams in West Yorkshire won’t come to Wakefield,” he said.

Currently, Kirklees and west Leeds are set to be the pilot areas of the mayor’s bus franchising.