Manifesto for Laura Evans, Mayoral Candidate for Greater Manchester 2024
Introduction
With a track record of achievement, including instigating and setting from the ground up The Manchester Marathon - which this year is set to have 32,000 runners delivering over £22 million to our local economy – Conservative Laura Evans is ready to run Greater Manchester from the front.
No one knows Greater Manchester better than me! I pledge to be on your side, focusing on crime over cycle lanes; new jobs not new taxes; and green shoots in business over yellow paint on buses. But I will need your help.
I pledge to be on Greater Manchester’s side, and to harness its Trailblazing powers, to take us to a new level. We are held back by a Labour Mayor who doesn’t focus on crime and safety but obsesses about painting old buses yellow. My drive will embolden Greater Manchester to be a world-leading hub of enterprise. And I will make sure that this transitions through to every street. This vision is but an arm’s reach away; the work needs to start today. Let’s get Greater Manchester out of the doldrums of seven years of Labour!
I have a plan to do this and to drive investment by creating: 1. A safe place, 2. A healthier region, 3. An interconnected GM, 4. A world-leading enterprise hub for high-paid jobs and opportunities and 5. A greener and brighter future.
1. A safer city
I’m determined to finish the job I started in 2021, by removing the threat of a 493 sq. mile Vehicle Air Charging Zone altogether and taking down all the cameras. A much-needed sign that, unlike the present Mayor, I’m standing up for our small businesses.
People deserve safer streets. There isn’t a Home Secretary who hasn’t recognised the Mayor's complete abdication of duty, and failure to tackle criminal gangs. These gangs threaten the safety and security of Greater Manchester residents, especially our young people.
As Mayor, I won’t abdicate that responsibility. I will lead from the front taking decisive action against knife crime, burglaries, car thefts, and the grooming of young people by criminal elements. It may be complex but it is achievable.
2. A healthier region.
People deserve a place to call home. The present mayor's lack of a plan has failed everyone but most of all it has failed those who need a route out most. A bed for a night has been a total failure. I'm committed to addressing the root causes of homelessness, including mental health challenges, unemployment, and family breakdowns. I will invest in a ‘Homes for Life’ program, providing a) sustainable solutions to end rough sleeping; and b) access to long-term support and housing stability. The current Mayor has broken his promise and failed to address this appalling situation. It may be complex, but it is achievable.
3. An interconnected Greater Manchester.
Our public transport has been used as a political football. The path chosen to have a London-style transport system is fraught with danger. The business case left a lot to be desired. However, we are where we are. We are not a whipping stick for governments to bail out. I will make it work, by:
a) extending the Metrolink network to all the boroughs.
b) improving connectivity by bus to hard-to-reach areas.
c) upgrading them to easy accessibility for all users.
Everything is based on the city-centre, outward approach. This is a mistake, what is needed is town-to-town connectivity. It may be complex, but it is achievable.
4. A world-leading enterprise hub.
Greater Manchester is well-placed to be a thriving hub of innovation and opportunity, and I'm not saying that some of that work hasn’t started. But it has not been harnessed and heralded. Through an Investment Zone, I plan to:
a) generate over 30,000 new jobs in advanced manufacturing, science, and industry.
b) position the region as a leading economic powerhouse.
c) implement swiftly the Trailblazer Deal.
Greater Manchester is best placed to be the hub of investment. With two runways at Manchester Airport, capacity, and the ability to accommodate the A380 Air Bus, Manchester should be leading the way. It may be complex, but it is achievable.
5. More affordable homes in the right places
People deserve a Greener brighter future, I will preserve the natural beauty of Greater Manchester by halting the bulldozing of green spaces. The Mayor's outdated and blinkered plan based on concreting all over the greenbelt must be halted. Allowing developers to cherry-pick our best views is not a solution.
I propose the development of thousands of new affordable homes on derelict and disused sites. When elected I will: a) focus on brownfield development; b) incentivise a new approach. I will look to the many small and medium sized developers to take up the offers available and deliver affordable accessible housing. It may be complex, but it is achievable.
MY PLEDGE
Policing, my commitment to a safer brighter future for Greater Manchester is to lead from the front. With more neighbourhood policing and more bobbies on the beat on your street. Full and transparent investigation into gangs that groom our young people, I will leave no stone unturned, the mayor has abdicated his responsibilities - I won't
MY PLEDGE
I will finish the job I started in 2021, by removing the threat of a 493 sq. mile Vehicle Air Charging Zone altogether and taking down all the cameras. A much-needed sign that, unlike the present Mayor, I’m standing up for our small businesses.
MY PLEDGE
I will recognise our fantastic veterans and work with, "Operation Prosper" to support our 62,000 veterans who live in Greater Manchester, with a free travel card.
MY PLEDGE
I will invest in our Older generation, the, "Older Person's Travel Card" will be reduced by 50% this year, I will make it free next year, and I will give full access to services at all times of the day not just after 9 am.
