City 'will pilot c-charge'

Alan Salter

March 19, 2007

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MANCHESTER has already been chosen to pilot congestion charging for the rest of the country, it is claimed.

Proposals to introduce charges - first revealed by the M.E.N. in January - have not yet been finalised.

Greater Manchester is supposed to be just one of nine authorities, including West Midlands and Tyne and Wear, bidding for cash from the Transport Innovation Fund.

Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman refused to comment on claims that he told a former Labour MP that Manchester had already won the race.

Dr Ladyman is said to have made the remark over dinner with Ivan Henderson, ex-MP for Harwich and one-time official with the RMT transport union, who now works as a lobbyist with consultancy Golden Arrow Communications.

At the same meeting, he is also reported to have said the draft Transport Bill to make congestion charging possible will not now be published until after the local elections in May to avoid it becoming an issue.

Dr Ladyman is also claimed to have had conversations with David Jamieson, a junior transport minister until quitting parliament in 2005 and now also working for Golden Arrow.

Dr Ladyman declined to go into detail about discussions, but said the two men were `friends and former colleagues' whom he had met several times.

He added: "We have obviously talked about transport issues, as I do with other former colleagues. But I am careful not to disclose inappropriate information."

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority chairman Coun Roger Jones, who was today meeting Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander in Westminster, said: "Even though our officials are in regular contact with the Transport Department, there's still a long way to go.

"Our draft bid will be ready in mid-May and then go out for consultation with the public and businesses in May and June before we lodge it in July.

"We have made it clear that until we get £1bn to improve public transport, we will not introduce congestion charging. But this is a competition for government money and I'm in it to win."

The Manchester Evening News in conjunction hannel M and our weekly newspapers has commissioned Greater Manchester's biggest ever opinion poll on congestion charging and we will be revealing the results on Wednesday.

What do you think of congestion charging? Have your say.

Articles

'M60 ready for charging'

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Ms D, Manchester (19/03/2007 at 10:05)

Bring it in at your peril. This will be another poll tax and people will take to the streets. I would urge everyone who is against these charges to vote out the Labour Councillors in Manchester who are complacent and doing nothing, despite people stating they do not want these charges. Why are they being forced on Manchester without consultation ? Edinburgh had a choice so why don't we ?

Chris, Irlam (19/03/2007 at 10:06)

When will Jones & his ilk realise the Greater Manchester public DO NOT WANT a congestion charge? I urge everyone to make sure they use their vote in May and kick this lot out of office before they do a huge amount of damage to our area with this congestion charge!

Ace Riley (19/03/2007 at 10:51)

Well its amazing what our democratic government does behind our backs isnt it? well its time to vote this lot out and lets tell the next lot that we wont stand this secrecy any more? we need democracy back,and we also need to get out of europe and get control of our small island once more.Its only the british voter who can do it,but no doubt we will still have our heads deep in the sand once again ?

wkdboy1, Hyde (19/03/2007 at 11:06)

firstly before i agree to congestion charge, i want to see an improvement on the buses, and trains, not just in reliability but in safety as well, until that, i will not agree and will break the law if i have to, anyone agree with me

Peter Roberts, Telford (19/03/2007 at 11:20)

Why introduce an unfair and unjust charging scheme which will penalise the people of Manchester for visiting their home town?

If the government has £1bn available to improve transport infrastructure, surely spend the money to improve transport and forget the penalty of congestion charging. People already pay £50bn in taxes to drive, this is enough. Another Toll Tax for going to work, visiting family or shopping is one step too far.

Vote againt this tax on May 3rd. Show these people we have had enough.

Ms D, Manchester (19/03/2007 at 11:53)

wkdboy 1 - I agree and I won't pay it either. If that means breaking the law, so be it. I will not be financially penalised for living in Manchester (and I don't mean the City Centre) and for having a council full of yes men, too busy doffing their caps at their friends in Parliament. My local MP Graham Stringer is against the congestion charges. Why is nobody listening to him ?

Kurt Stephens, Sale (19/03/2007 at 12:11)

I wholeheartedly agree with these proposals, hopefully those in power will have the nerve to stand up to the usual bleating from the car lobby and push forward with the plans to introduce congestion charging. Not only important for the future economic prosperity of the city, but also will help make the place a better place to live. Well done Councillor Jones, the PTA and PTE for getting this far, do not lose the momentum, and have the confidence to do what you believe to be correct.

Andy, Bury (19/03/2007 at 12:33)

Personally I think more needs to be done to provide viable alternatives to the car before anyone can consider bringing in a congestion charge here.

But what the flipping heck has Europe got to do with this? Could there not be a rule about using consistent logic when commenting? :-)

Vanessa (19/03/2007 at 12:33)

Funny how Mr Kurt Stephens lives near a Metrolink station.

Steven, none (19/03/2007 at 12:42)

People are too scared to face the government hence high tax rates and high prices for essential products like petrol and beer! people need to start standing up for themselves. they are milking us out of much money and this is really taking the mick now! its that bad im embarresed to call myself english!

Chris, Irlam (19/03/2007 at 12:47)

Kurt, do you not believe in democracy? Must be a local government employee then! You need to get over the fact that you support something 90% of you fellow citizens do not, and remember the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. USE YOUR VOTE IN MAY!

Joey, Ashton under Lyne, (19/03/2007 at 13:11)

"City will pilot c-charge"

Thats OK then, People in Ardwick, Salford, Hulme etc can rest easy knowing that the city shops and businesses will take the increased tax burden and down turn in trade.

Ace Riley (19/03/2007 at 13:12)

But what the flipping heck has Europe got to do with this? Could there not be a rule about using consistent logic when commenting? :-)

Most of this is comming from Europe? Beleive me its all about control? from europe

Andy, Bury (19/03/2007 at 13:36)

Ace, please explain how a Manchester congestion charge is coming from Europe.

Chris Lamb (19/03/2007 at 15:32)

I can help Ace Riley out here. European Directive 2004/52 commits Britain to road pricing systems based on the EU's Galileo satellite system, an expensive rival to the USA's free GPS system. That's why Manchester is going to have a congestion charge imposed - because Brussels says you've got to, and you've got to use their expensive satellite system to do it.

Ace Riley (19/03/2007 at 15:54)

Chris Lamb
Thank you, that was the system i was reading about a couple of years ago? and europe was thinking of imposing it then but put it off for a few years.....???

Andy, Bury (19/03/2007 at 15:59)

Er, my understanbding of that directive is that it aims to ensure interoperability of toll collection systems across EU borders rather than insisting that member states introduce congestion charges.

wkdboy1, Hyde (19/03/2007 at 16:00)

well i think its about time we told the eu where to go, and i really think the m.e.n should help us to get a demo out on the streets of Manchester and then tell the government to stop treating us like ginypigs, im sick of Europe butting in and telling us what to do, once we take our selfs out of the eu, then we can be great britain again, our own country, and our own rules.

Chris, Irlam (19/03/2007 at 16:11)

Chris Lamb - thanks for that. Does anyone need any more convincing that EU membership does the UK no favours? Last I heard UKIP were anti-tolls as well so if you have a UKIP candidate in the local elections on May 3rd they may well be worth a vote....

Phil The Blue, Northenden Manchester (19/03/2007 at 17:17)

Dead easy. Martin Bell set the precedent to sort out politicians. Write to all the Councillors and Greater Manchester Labour MP's telling them that at the next local and general elections they will be voted against en-masse ON A SINGLE ISSUE. Someone needs to step forward to organise the mass protest vote that's all. Sorted.

Pentest (19/03/2007 at 17:18)

Oh dear, I for one won't be shopping in Manchester when the charges come into force. You have shot yourself in the foot manchester city council ...it looks like your going to have a lot of empty shops on your hands quite soon. Manchester needs all the business it can get, not a reduction.

Andy, Bury (19/03/2007 at 17:21)

Read up on the directive first europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2004/l_166/l_16620040430en01240143.pdf

Steve_, Manchester (19/03/2007 at 17:32)

Expanding on Andy's comments, this excerpt is taken from the Dept for Transport website:
"These Regulations implement provisions of European Parliament and Council Directive 2004/52/EC which require the use of certain technical standards for the interoperability of electronic road toll systems in the Community (see articles 1 and 2 of the Directive).
Regulations 2 and 3 specify the electronic toll systems to which the Regulations apply. These are systems which operate by means of a communications interface comprising electronic devices, for the purpose of charging and collecting tolls or fares in respect of the use by a motor vehicle of a road (including any bridge or tunnel) or a ferry. The technological requirements specified in regulation 4 apply to new systems which are brought into service on or after 1st January 2007."

As far as I can see, this directive has nothing to do with congestion charges.

Jake Long, City Centre, Manchester (19/03/2007 at 18:04)

Well I suppose it goes without saying that I will not pay it.

Perhaps the politicians are hoping for mass civil disturbance, because that will be the end result.

If the population put up with this then it is their own stupid fault, but they had better not slag me off when I stand up for what I believe in and go out of my way to evade it.

Bobby (19/03/2007 at 18:14)

Its not just central Manchester for the charge,looking at the map of the proposed route we in Irlam about 12 miles away will have to pay just for going to Eccles. if the road planners did a good job and make Manchester a one way system then traffic flow would be a dream.

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