Manc Congestion Charge

Those of us who live in wonderful, wonderful Manchester will have received our voting packs relating to this charge today (or earlier).

What's your opinion on it? Are you for or against that gooseberry fool? Do you even lie within any of the charging boundaries (the outer boundary being the M60 and the inside one being pretty much the city centre) or do you travel across them often?

I'm not being so quick to pass this off without doing a bit of research. I mean, Walkden lies just outside the boundary, which is an absolute pisser if this charge comes in, meaning I'd have to pay to go down the East Lancs. The only benefit my town seems to get is an improved train station, everything else is given to Worsley and Bolton which is useless if you want to discourage driving. But then it says that the flow of traffic would be improved by reworking all the traffic lights and signs. But why can't that be done without a charge? That alone would decrease congestion without resorting to an additional 'tax'.

Charles Manson wrote:I mean, Walkden lies just outside the boundary, which is an absolute pisser if this charge comes in, meaning I'd have to pay to go down the East Lancs.

Only at peak times in the peak direction, mind, and it'll only be a quid if you only pass the outer ring (or is it £2 outer £1 inner? I can't remember).

I voted 'yes', but then again, I almost exclusively use public transport so it's a bit of a no-brainer.

I don't have a car and I only use public transport. So, I'm voting yes.

Gorrable wrote:

Charles Manson wrote:I mean, Walkden lies just outside the boundary, which is an absolute pisser if this charge comes in, meaning I'd have to pay to go down the East Lancs.

Only at peak times in the peak direction, mind, and it'll only be a quid if you only pass the outer ring (or is it £2 outer £1 inner? I can't remember).

I voted 'yes', but then again, I almost exclusively use public transport so it's a bit of a no-brainer.

£2 outer, £1 inner. Only in peak traffic in that direction. Yep.

I can see it being of benefit but a lot of the proposed improvements could be done without this. For a driver it may seem like blackmail, and if you live somewhere like I do and you drive, you've still no encouragement to get out of the car and move to public transport. Bolton gets ANOTHER new bus station. There are two there already and they're within 5 minutes walking distance. Worsley gets rapid transit buses. Walkden's right in the middle of these two, and is in the same political constituency as Worsley, yet all it gets is some new seats and a sign or two at the train station. And probably 3 or 4 more buses with horrible punctuality (some arrive a few minutes earlier, which isn't what you want either) and horrible routes.

I remember getting a bus from Bolton back home and it took nearly an hour. The bus service that took the direct route (which takes less than ten minutes by car and is only 4 or 5 miles) was cancelled last year!

There are just as many things that make me want to vote against this than there are that don't. And I use my own car and public transport in fairly equal measure.

No, as I pay road tax AND council tax... yet they still do a gooseberry fool job of sorting the roads out.

Make the roads worth paying for before you go and do gooseberry fool like this.

A bit more information.

Maps available on this site;

http://www.gmfuturetransport.co.uk/CongestionCharges/OurPlans/

When and how the charges would apply
The congestion charge would apply at peak times, 
Monday to Friday. There would be no charge at 
weekends and bank holidays.


The charging periods would be:

7am to 9.30 am travelling towards Manchester.
4pm to 6.30 pm travelling away from Manchester.

You would pay when you cross a ring in the direction of the 
congestion for example towards the city centre in the morning and away from the city centre in the evening. 
This charge would be £2* in the morning peak when crossing the outer ring (just within the M60) and £1* 
in the evening peak. Crossing the inner ring during the charging period would cost £1.*

* At 2007 prices for pre-registered users.

You would only be charged once to cross a ring in each charging period, no matter how many times you cross it in that period.


There would be no charge for:


Vehicles that drive around the M60.
Vehicles that do not cross any charging ring.
Congestion charging would not be introduced before the summer of 2013 and until 80% of the public transport improvements are in place

Shame on anyone voting yes.