THE former manager of Manchester’s Commonwealth Games bid has been appointed chairman of the campaign for yes vote in the congestion charge referendum.
Lis Phelan, who retired as Director of Libraries and Theatres with Manchester City Council in 2003, also worked as deputy chief executive of Marketing Manchester, tasked with promoting Greater Manchester across the world for four years.
Her appointment was announced as the coalition of unions, businesses, environmentalists, commercial drivers, pensioners, students, community leaders, and voluntary associations launched its advertising campaign in the lead –up to the poll.
Seven of Greater Manchester’s 10 districts must vote yes for the bid for £3bn of public transport improvements to go ahead.
“I think most people now appreciate that £3 billion will give Greater Manchester a dramatically improved transport system. What isn’t so well understood is that 9 out of 10 people won’t pay any charge and the better transport we will get will be in everybody's interest”, said Ms Phelan, launching the new poster campaign.
The Yes Campaign advertising shows a range of real people from across Greater Manchester explaining why they won’t have to pay a charge.
They include a shopper, a pensioner, a football fan, a train passenger and a mother and child who travel by bus. The campaign also shows a car driver who travels against the flow of traffic and so does not pay a charge.
“I am proud to be leading this campaign” continued Lis.
“A successful Yes Campaign will deliver improved quality of life to millions of local people and will support the long-term prosperity of the region. It is an opportunity that simply must not be missed.
“I have been very fortunate to spend most of my working life in Manchester and am extremely proud of the changes we have seen in the region and its continuing economic success. The TIF proposals offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to address two of Greater Manchester’s weak points – an inadequate public transport network and disruptive and unhealthy traffic congestion in the city.
“As it stands, almost every individual and business in Greater Manchester pays a hidden cost for congestion, with goods delayed, commuters stuck in traffic when they could be at work or with their families, over-crowding and delays to public transport and heavy air pollution.”
There was a row last year when transport chiefs were accused of misleading motorists in leaflets sent to 2.5 million homes which included “case studies” of real people – who turned out to be American models.
But Chris Palmer, media director for the Yes campaign insisted: “Ours are real people who live locally and are members of the campaign.”
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Kiwi-blue, Christchurch NZ (25/09/2008 at 16:00)
Jay B, oldham (25/09/2008 at 16:32)
manchesters being burdened with a £3bn debt. so just 1 out of ten people are really going to cover the repayments.
somehow i dont believe anything the pro con people say anymore.
Polky (25/09/2008 at 16:37)
What Ms Pfelan may not understand is that 1 in 10 people in manchester equates to over 200,000 mancunians... And none of them want a congestion tax in place.
Edina Clouds, GREAT Manchester (25/09/2008 at 16:52)
Nice work if you can get it!
Pigi, Manchester (25/09/2008 at 17:26)
Donna. Harpurhey (25/09/2008 at 17:28)
alex shaw (25/09/2008 at 17:58)
Besides, the buses are packed with people going to work everyday – for the vast majority it really isn’t that difficult. With an improved network, more buses and integrated transport links, it will become even less difficult and oh so much faster. I bet most of the people complaining hardly ever go on a bus – not even when it is “convenient”. Why not give it a go for a couple of weeks - take a bus, embrace the human contact, read a book/newspaper – it really ain’t that bad folks. A bit of walking to and from the bus stop each way – exercise, no? Keep that gas guzzling, pollution spewing, heap of metal in the garage, save your petrol money and open your eyes. Is our environment really so unimportant? You might then like to add up how much it really costs you to run your car(petrol, depreciation, road tax, insurance, service costs, parts, MOT...) if money is all that concerns you – but then that’s really why we need the congestion charge isn’t it; to force people into really weighing up the costs involved. Clearly the drive is to stop people using their cars, not simply taking more of their money, while they still drive. Unfortunately thinking and acting outside a well defined sense of self-interest really isn’t in most people’s repertoire now is it?
alex shaw (25/09/2008 at 18:11)
Sir Reginald Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire (25/09/2008 at 18:15)
" How much is this adding to the £3 billion being spent."
In the bid there is £220 million for just such as Ms Phelan and others, The funding for such is classed as: Non Capital Costs.
Just like the £320 million (at todays prices)which it will cost to have the infrastructure to be able to charge us. That is over half a billion quid which is not going to be spent on Trams, Trains or Buses.
alex shaw (25/09/2008 at 18:15)
gladys rowbotham, Manchester (25/09/2008 at 18:20)
When the improvements are in place there will be less traffic on the road.
Of course those who still prefer to travel by car will get a free run of the road in and out of Manchester with the reduced traffic.
PS Where do you get £1,800 from?
gladys rowbotham, Manchester (25/09/2008 at 18:22)
alex shaw (25/09/2008 at 18:29)
Growler (25/09/2008 at 21:01)
The biggest congestion on our roads are bus's. I saw three all with the same number behind one another going into manchester....what a joke !!!
Jay B, oldham (26/09/2008 at 09:24)
a full page spread with very little information other than saying. "i catch the bus so i wont pay"
well that is the most selfish way to look at it.
why can't people realise that this is just an excuse to tax us more.
if we're burdened with £3bn of debt its got to be paid off. and that means the whole economy of manchester will be effected and everyone will pay not just the drivers.
plus once its in place thats it and we'll be stuck with it forever. then they can increase zone sizes, prices or change exemptions.
why dont we ask people down in london what they think of the con charge? these are the best examples to see if it has or hasn't worked.
In the know (26/09/2008 at 09:39)
Trumpetman21 (26/09/2008 at 14:37)
Naive isn't the word!
AlexisV (26/09/2008 at 15:43)
Is it just me Alex, but since I've already got a car, wouldn't it be stupid of me to let it rust in the driveway and pay for bus fares all the time? (and be late and constantly inconvenienced).
Surviving without a car is a serious handicap (they threaten drink drivers with it all the time after all). Ditching it and going 100% public transport would be madness.
Hence why people would just pay the charge and grumble, rather than own and pay for a car and let it rot AND pay for public transport.
Second Row Lump, Manchester (26/09/2008 at 15:49)
Besides, the buses are packed with people going to work everyday – for the vast majority it really isn’t that difficult. With an improved network, more buses and integrated transport links, it will become even less difficult and oh so much faster. I bet most of the people complaining hardly ever go on a bus – not even when it is “convenient”. Why not give it a go for a couple of weeks - take a bus, embrace the human contact, read a book/newspaper – it really ain’t that bad folks. A bit of walking to and from the bus stop each way – exercise, no? Keep that gas guzzling, pollution spewing, heap of metal in the garage, save your petrol money and open your eyes. Is our environment really so unimportant? You might then like to add up how much it really costs you to run your car(petrol, depreciation, road tax, insurance, service costs, parts, MOT...) if money is all that concerns you – but then that’s really why we need the congestion charge isn’t it; to force people into really weighing up the costs involved. Clearly the drive is to stop people using their cars, not simply taking more of their money, while they still drive. Unfortunately thinking and acting outside a well defined sense of self-interest really isn’t in most people’s repertoire now is it?”
Alex, it is the ‘self righteous’ like you why I will continue to use my car!
My S Class Merc has a very large engine in it, it does only 18 miles to the gallon and I can afford the tax category as well as the congestion charge. As a protest I will use my car every day, I will continue to enjoy ‘spewing out’ poison as you put it because I don’t care!
I care even less when an ‘eco mental’ rants and raves and continues to lecture on.
Enjoy your bus, enjoy ride sharing with the great unwashed, enjoy sitting in chewing-gum or on dirty seats, enjoy waiting in the massive bus queues in the rain at a vandalized bus stop, enjoy public transport!
I for one am happy sat in a traffic jam, cocooned in fine leather, a nice air conditioned atmosphere, listening to Elgar instead of other peoples inane conversations, I enjoy driving a car that can take me twice over the legal speed limit (and some).
Keep on ranting, you will get your ‘con-charge’ as I believe it is inevitable, but you will never get me out of my car, enjoy every whiff of my carbon monoxide knowing I am in the lap of luxury and comfort when you take the bus!
Enjoy…………………
Tameside Blue, Tameside (26/09/2008 at 18:31)
PW, Manchester (26/09/2008 at 19:23)
Yes, I will get the bus if I don't have to get 2 or 3. But if I have to travel about in the true sense, I will have to use my car. Why should I be penalised? Don't get taken in by the hype!
nomoneyleft, oldham (27/09/2008 at 18:08)
To have very good bus & tram service would be good, but the companies that run them should pay. I for one will continue to use my car, but only because three buses each way is not on. If a charge were introduced it should target those that could easily catch buses etc to work but chose to drive their car 500m
Lady phoenix (29/09/2008 at 11:45)
Jay B, oldham (30/09/2008 at 10:09)
its a debt on manchester!
the cost of living in manchester will go up ahead of everywhere else.
everyone will pay!
debt is bad! as we're all finding out at the momment. so why dont we learn from this and say no to 30 years of paying back another loan.
Manchesters voice, Manchester (02/10/2008 at 14:10)
It's all very well saying the public transport will improve if we introduce the congestion charge, but will services be reintroduced and areas covered where the Metro link does not go near? I doubt it.
We are told we can stagger our journey in and out of the city, but if your place of employment has fixed opening times how can we stagger our journey times? Our employers will not pay us to be in work when we are not open to the public.
So I ask if I was to get into work before the charge is in opperation in the morning and after it is in operation in the evening who will pay for my time.
Plus what about the people who do not have a direct public transport link to their place of employment, and if they do not use their car would have to leave at 6 a.m. to arrive for the start of work at 8 a.m.?
Manchester voice