manchester to get congestion zone...

[mani]

time to bring down this useless govt. creaming the british motorist for all they're worth.

Government backing for a Greater Manchester congestion charge would undermine Labour support in the area, an MP from the party has warned.
Plans for a two-ring scheme, charging up to £5 to enter the city centre at busy times after 2013, are expected to be set out on Monday.
The charge would be offset by £3bn of public transport improvements.
But Manchester Blackley Labour MP Graham Stringer said the move would alienate voters in marginal seats.

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by mani

time to bring down this useless govt. creaming the british motorist for all they're worth.

If Manchester does go ahead then Liverpool and Birmingham will be next. Then Leeds and Newcastle and bit by bit it will come the Blackburn way.

I see this as yet another nail in the “Get the peasants out of their cars to leave the roads free for the rich” coffin.

Make no mistake, within ten years or so the ordinary motorist will be priced off the road.

[jaysay]

Just heard Gt Manchest Labour MP Graham Stringer saying it could be a vote loser, what with petrol rising at the rate it is, its just like another tax rise on motorist he said

[accyman]

by 2013 labour will be out of govenment and it will be somone esles problem

nice of labour to set bad things in motion so they can kick us in the nuts years after they are out of power

mind you who ever wins the next election wont lift a finger to stop it if the ball starts rolling but still take great pleasure in blaming teh previous govenment as they started it off

this labour govenment realy has given labour a bad name but then again labour no longer exists as it is now NEW labour and if you ask me NEW labour bloody stinks

[WillowTheWhisp]

It isn't the government who are responsible for the congestion charge though is it? It's the local councils isn't it? It will be horrendous for commuters who would have to start off a lot earlier in the mornings to get there on public transport. A lot of people bought houses "within an hours drive from city centre Manchester" purely because they were in a nice location but could still drive to work. On top of parking charges and petrol price increases this is punishing people for going to work. Mind you, it does get a bit chock a block at 'rush hour' doesn't it?

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

It isn't the government who are responsible for the congestion charge though is it? It's the local councils isn't it? It will be horrendous for commuters who would have to start off a lot earlier in the mornings to get there on public transport. A lot of people bought houses "within an hours drive from city centre Manchester" purely because they were in a nice location but could still drive to work. On top of parking charges and petrol price increases this is punishing people for going to work. Mind you, it does get a bit chock a block at 'rush hour' doesn't it?

I caight a bit of it on the news this morning. Pretty sure it said that the government will provide money for Manchester as long as they put the congestion charge in

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

I caight a bit of it on the news this morning. Pretty sure it said that the government will provide money for Manchester as long as they put the congestion charge in

Its the governmet who have the final say, and ndead are making funds available to upgrde public transport if the charges are introduced, bribing people with their own money really seeing the government don't have any money of their own. The thing is there are wo fazes to this the second faze coming in to effect outlying districts, meaning that just going onto a main street will cost the motorist

[katex]

A little more information on what is going on :-

'In total, £3bn will be raised for improvements to public transport across the ten GM councils. £1.2bn will come from the DfT (central government) phased over a ten year period. The remaining £1.8bn will be from prudential borrowing offset against the predicted future income from the congestion charge, paid back over a 30 year period. Not ideal (the loan) but people insist on having the public transport improvements in prior to the charge being brought on line and this is the only realistic option to lever in those sums of money.

In terms of the public transport infrastructure the money will deliver, it will be on the scale no authority outside of London has ever seen. New buses, new trams, new tram lines, properly managed car parking in the city centre, new rail cars etc. It will be great but we still have to get through the public consultation over the summer. One issue is that if the public don't support the improvements (plus charge) then the whole scheme is in jeopardy. We'll just have to wait and see.'

Please don't come back to me on this, just a few more details for you.

[jaysay]

In other words kate its going to be like Turkeys voting for Christmas, what with the price of petrol and road tax, if you lived in Manchester would you be voting for these charges Oh by the way I'm not getting back at you, you know I woldn't do that

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

It isn't the government who are responsible for the congestion charge though is it? It's the local councils isn't it? It will be horrendous for commuters who would have to start off a lot earlier in the mornings to get there on public transport. A lot of people bought houses "within an hours drive from city centre Manchester" purely because they were in a nice location but could still drive to work. On top of parking charges and petrol price increases this is punishing people for going to work. Mind you, it does get a bit chock a block at 'rush hour' doesn't it?

As Jaysay says some of the money is coming from the Government, and Manchester is a Labour council, famously having only 1 Conservative.

[BERNADETTE]

Originally Posted by andrewb

As Jaysay says some of the money is coming from the Government, and Manchester is a Labour council, famously having only 1 Conservative.

Is the fact that the council is a Labour one relevant?

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

Is the fact that the council is a Labour one relevant?

Ask Accyman, it was not me that mentioned it. I was just the messenger!

[BERNADETTE]

Originally Posted by andrewb

Ask Accyman, it was not me that mentioned it. I was just the messenger!

Personally don't think it matters at the end of the day who is in control of the council

[onlyme]

It stinks. The North should be bringing in measures to have good firms and jobs to the area, instead of in London. What business is going to do this if they have to allow for the congestion charge.

In my last job, I was in and out of cities everyday, obviously London congestion charges got sent as expenses and reclaimed back, so the more cities this happens to, the greater the bill for employers.

Absolutely ludicrous

[onlyme]

On another note, until they sort out prices on public transport etc, it'll never work.

It was chaeper for me to fly to London for meetings than get a train. Hell of a lot quicker n all