THE Liberal Democrats have given their backing to the newly re-instated Joint Area Traffic Management Committees.

The committees, which give local councillors the opportunity to discuss and decide on transport issues in their areas, were approved at a meeting of Cambridgeshire County Council at Shire Hall on Tuesday.

The joint committees will be reinstated for those areas which want them.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Amanda Taylor said: “This decision is good news for Cambridge and for the travelling public.

“In Cambridge, we have had a situation where crucial decisions on transport and traffic management have been left to Conservative councillors from the villages of the county.

“They are unfamiliar with our roads and traffic patterns, but worse still, the centralisation of decision-making has been holding up decisions.

“Now those decisions can be made by the councillors who have been elected to represent the people and understand the issues and there will be more opportunities for the public to contribute.”