Manchester Congestion Charging
By Jim Symcox on Jul 17, 2007 in Jim Symcox, Manchester, Manchester Bloggers, Manchester Congestion Charge
Who was it who said Manchester would never have congestion charging because we don’t need it?
Certainly since we appear to have been caught hopping by the spin doctors we’ve been suckered into agreeing to it or else we can’t have the Metrolink Big Bang that puts tramlines and stations where people can actually use them.
As an aside I wonder what would happen if Londoners were told that they couldn’t have had the Thames Barrier , or only part of it, or the Water ring around the capital would only go part way round?
And adding fuel to the spin fire we appear to an example where the pro lobby (apparently led by our own council and its quangos) has “manufactured” 4 cases studies about how “real” people would be affected by the charge.
The truly interesting point about all this is that there appears to have been a vast amount of PR stuff generated. Apparently including a Yellow Bus and the aforesaid case studies and I didn’t see a single bit of it.
As I live on one of the main routes into Manchester and where I suspect the outer ring will be I would have been very interested in anything about the congestion charge.
And you know what? I would have been doubly interested by a report from a body that didn’t have a vested interest in getting into Manchester, or keeping it out.
Oh and by the way. Do we know whether the London Congestion Charge actually makes money or breaks even? Because if it proves difficult to collect money or chase defaulters guess who’s going to pay?
Yes, your good old friendly Manchester rate payer.
Congestion Charge - Woe is Me | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
And now the referendum is upon us in a month. People of Manchester: When you get the vote coupon through your door, please vote “NO”
If you are in two minds you can read here: http://gmcongestioncharge.co.uk/index.html
Jim Symcox | Nov 18, 2008 | Reply
Yes the charge is on us…I suspect the vote will be won by the YES campaign purely because of the heavyweight media behind it. Whether that’s good or bad remains to be seen, check out my blog posting about the likely costs to see what you think.
pete whitfield | Nov 25, 2008 | Reply
I’m a big fan of public transport – I got sick of rush hour motoring and was persuaded by eco considerations to ditch my car. I wasn’t persuaded by the glorious public transport system (‘cos it is currently pretty messy) though the bus from my part of town (X34 from Astley) is a quick, comfortable, efficient, new one – and the ticket price is pretty good, with no rush-hour premium.
If I vote yes who will administer the money for an improved public transport system? If you look at the current set up it lacks joined-up thinking and if the body can’t apply some common sense to our current system what hope for the future? The greatest weapon in the no vote (and I haven’t seen it used yet) is the tickets page of GMPTE – frightening. Integration and simplicity (particularly in ticketing) seem to be a pipe dream and will throwing more money at this body improve matters? I hope so, but I fear not. Fix the current system first, encourage the use of public transport, learning lessons from Transport for London and probably most other public transport bodies around the world, then seek funding to expand.
My heart says vote yes for the congestion charge but my head says no, and unless I see a reason in the coming days to trust the body that will be given so much money under the scheme I will have to vote no.
Jim Symcox | Nov 25, 2008 | Reply
Pete,
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. When bus deregulation happened we were promised a brand new and amazing transport system. The result was buses queuing to drive the most lucrative routes whilst dropping the marginal ones. The tram system, wonderful though I believe it is, has a very high price during rush hour (£5 from whitefield to GMex return).
Like you my heart says yes but my experience of transport in Manchester says no.
Read my next post on the business case I’ve just received through the post for a few further thoughts too!