In Cambridgeshire, few topics ignite more passion than the contentious congestion charge. Many voices have voiced their opinions, both for and against the road fee, with chants, raps, and slogans all being heard. The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) plans to impose a rate of £5 per private vehicle going into Cambridge, on weekdays between 7am and 7pm. This fee is designed to promote active travel, such as cycling and walking, in addition to improving the region’s public transport network.
To see what artificial intelligence (AI) would think of this issue, Neil Mackay, an anti-congestion charge campaigner, requested ChatGPT to write a rap song about an anti-congestion rally at a place called “Reality Checkpoint”. Astonishingly, the app came up with impressive rap lyrics almost instantly. To analyse these lyrics, the GCP commented, “This is certainly one of the more unusual responses we have had during Making Connections – we are currently analysing the formal responses we received during the consultation ahead of a report on its findings and proposed next steps, going to the GCP Board this summer.”
The full rap is given below and speaks for all those who oppose the fee.
Verse 1:
Gather ’round everybody, we’re here to protest
The GCP’s congestion charge, we’re not impressed
We won’t let them take our hard-earned cash
We won’t let them control our travel and dash
We’ll fight for our rights, we’ll fight for our cars
We won’t be silenced, we’ll break through their bars
Chorus:
We’re at Reality Checkpoint, it’s time to take a stand
We won’t let the Council control our travel plans
No more congestion charge, we won’t pay the toll
We’ll fight for our freedom, with all our heart and soul
Verse 2:
The roads are our lifeline, we can’t let them be taken
Our cars are our freedom, our spirits won’t be shaken
The congestion charge is just another way
For the Council to take our money and play
We won’t stand for it, we won’t back down
We’ll stand together, we’ll wear the crown
Chorus:
We’re at Reality Checkpoint, it’s time to take a stand
We won’t let the Council control our travel plans
No more congestion charge, we won’t pay the toll
We’ll fight for our freedom, with all our heart and soul
Verse 3:
We’re not just a number, we’re not just a statistic
We’re real people, with real lives, it’s not realistic
To think we’ll just roll over, and pay the price
We won’t let them take away our freedom, it’s not nice
We’ll fight for our rights, we’ll fight for our cars
We’ll make sure they know, we’re not behind bars
Chorus:
We’re at Reality Checkpoint, it’s time to take a stand
We won’t let the Council control our travel plans
No more congestion charge, we won’t pay the toll
We’ll fight for our freedom, with all our heart and soul
Outro:
We won’t be silenced, we won’t be controlled
We’ll fight for our freedom, until we grow old
Reality Checkpoint, we’ll be back again
To fight for our rights, and show we won’t bend.
The Greater Cambridge Partnership is the local government initiative which is responsible for setting the congestion charge and overseeing the implementation of the plan. The GCP is part of the Greater Cambridge City Deal, a partnership between the local councils, businesses, and the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service. It is the goal of the GCP to create a more efficiently managed city area, while working towards a clean, safe, and healthy city center.
Neil Mackay has been an outspoken opponent of the congestion charge. He believes it is an unfair and unjust charge that punishes the citizens of Cambridge. Neil became interested in the creative potential of AI when he requested the creative writing abilities of ChatGPT to write a rap song about an anti-congestion rally. He was surprised at the quick response from the app and pleased that the lyrics it produced voiced the opposing views adequately.
