PLANS for a £3 billion public transport revolution are revealed today.
They involve a massive upgrade of tram, train and bus networks - to be paid for by the controversial congestion charging scheme, if it goes ahead.
Documents seen by the M.E.N. show the plans include:
* Boosting the existing Big Bang tram-line extensions to Oldham and Rochdale, Manchester Airport and Ashton under Lyne by adding new Metrolink lines to the Trafford Centre and Stockport centre.
* A second cross-city Metrolink line to carry more passengers in Manchester.
* Expanding Greater Manchester's bus fleet by 500 vehicles.
* Bigger, better trains that would run on routes from Greater Manchester across the north west.
* Permanent park-and-ride schemes set up at key rail and tram stations across the region.
* American-style yellow buses picking up schoolchildren from outside their homes.
* Transport interchanges built or radically improved in Rochdale, Stockport, Wigan, Bolton and Altrincham.
* Manchester's Victoria station extended to carry more rail and tram passengers.
Bold
The plans will form part of a bid to the government's Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) which is offering to give cash to towns, cities and regions in return for 'bold' plans to tackle congestion.
Ministers expect those to include road-pricing.
The M.E.N. revealed in January that Greater Manchester transport chiefs were looking at a plan based on charging motorists to use routes on and around 15 congested `corridors'.
The massive £2.9bn price revealed today dwarfs previously-quoted proposals valued at £1bn.
About £1.2bn would come from TIF. The rest would come from private business or borrowed from the government against the profits from congestion charging over 25 to 30 years.
Transport chiefs are locked in negotiations to establish how much Whitehall will lend, but the Department for Transport is so keen for a major road-pricing pilot it may be prepared to sanction huge sums. Other measures include:
A 'bus priority package', with special lanes and guided busways.
Electronic ticketing and real-time information at tram, rail and bus stops.
Completion of the Wigan inner relief road.
Find out more about how the proposals will impact on trains, trams and buses, via the links at the right of this page.
What do you think of the proposed upgrade? Have your say below.
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Simon B, Warrington (01/05/2007 at 08:45)
The bribe gets bigger and bigger.
First 1bn
then 2bn
now £2.9bn
please
Greater Manchester
do not be taken in by this
most of the cash wiil be spent on the Road Pricing system where you will be charged by the mile
24hours a day
365 days of the year.
only a small section of it will make it to public transport.
john (01/05/2007 at 08:46)
If this council and the MEN continue to promote the trams as the only real alternative then they will just allianate more people, i have yet to hear one single genuine commuter on the oldham loop line that wants the tram to replace the train, the money could have been spent far more wisely upgrading the heavy rail line back to its former glory, actually it would have cost about half as much as the tram and the rest could have been used elsewhere.
if the council really wants to improve the tram network why does it not run to leigh or another place that has NO rail service.
Ashton , stockport, oldham, and the airport all have very good rail services they do not need the tram but many other places do so come on council and MEN get real and run your trams to where they are needed not where its cheapist to install.
Chris, Irlam (01/05/2007 at 08:56)
And as for borrowing money against percieved future profits - according to Councillor Jones for this scheme to work there will be NO congestion and if there is no congestion then there cannot be a charge and therefore no profit! I cannot see the government lending money to a scheme that will not turn out a profit so what is it to be - is this to cut congestion OR to make a handsome pile of cash for the treasury?
Can we have the truth please?
Ms D, Manchester (01/05/2007 at 09:01)
Chris, Irlam (01/05/2007 at 09:07)
Simon B, Warrington (01/05/2007 at 09:10)
Is because Councillor Roger Jones is willing to borrow 1.9bn based on future profits from the road pricing system.
Which you and I will end up paying extra for with loan repayments to the goverment and business, plus the interest as well.
Technobabble, Manchester (01/05/2007 at 09:16)
Also remember, the "C" charge in London has gone up 60% in it's first 4 years and has just expanded to cover TWICE it's original area. Give 'em an inch and they really will take a yard.
Ricky Bad Boy, Manchester City Centre (01/05/2007 at 09:16)
ace, manchester (01/05/2007 at 09:17)
Kurt Stephens, Sale (01/05/2007 at 09:24)
Chris, Irlam (01/05/2007 at 09:37)
Sid (01/05/2007 at 09:50)
You sound like a member of the council. If you believe all this nonsense that it is for the good of the community all I can say is get in the real world. Since when can we believe what these bloodsuckers tell us.
ace, manchester (01/05/2007 at 09:54)
Shaken (01/05/2007 at 10:12)
EastLancsRodeo (01/05/2007 at 10:14)
i'm sure someone will bleat on about the metrolink to Eccles but:
1. The Eccles line extends only half way into Salford
2. Anyone who has used it knows that it is abysmal despite what local government would have us believe... slow and overpriced/overcrowded
high passenger numbers at peak times does not constitute a success
ace, manchester (01/05/2007 at 10:29)
Ricardus, England (01/05/2007 at 10:43)
We already have the traction supply for the tram system.
Ricardus.
alvinlwh (01/05/2007 at 10:50)
Kurt Stephens, Sale (01/05/2007 at 10:51)
Reading the article it seems to me that 59% would be in favour if the plans outlined are followed.
It's a shame the vocal minority get so much publicity.
Simon B, Warrington (01/05/2007 at 11:08)
Give us a Referendum.
Kurt Stephens, Sale (01/05/2007 at 11:20)
What would the question be?
'Do you think the PTE should bid for £3bn worth of transport improvements, and following those improvements charge drivers for using routes that are still congested, but only in a manner that will not affect the economy, and when public transport alternatives exist?'
The problem with a referendum is you would need one to determine the question, as your view of what is being proposed is fundementally different to others, such as me.
Chris, Irlam (01/05/2007 at 11:22)
Simply put, to get from Irlam to Glossop on the bus takes 2.5 hours or using bus & train takes 1.5 hours - all for 25 miles travel.
In a car it takes 40-60 minutes and on the motorbike no longer than 35-40 minutes no matter how bad the traffic is.
So public transport will never be an option for me.
And Kurt, looking at these comments & the online poll I would say it is you who are the vocal minorty matey....and I am sure the referendum will go along exactly the same lines!
Bring it on!
Simon B, Warrington (01/05/2007 at 11:26)
The writer of that artical Ben Rooth was was challenged to provide his data.
he has not.
the question he asked was a loaded question.
like this one, or similar.
Do you think if the Congestion Charge was implemented in Greater Manchester, would reduce local pollution?
Well, it would reduce local pollution.
that does not mean we support the C Charge, we do not.
I challenged him to go back out and ask this single question
Do you want the Congestion charge implemented in Greater Manchester, by any method, including a satellite tracking device in your car, or by ANPR cameras?
He has not.
Chris, Irlam (01/05/2007 at 11:31)
'Do you think the PTE should bid for £3bn worth of transport improvements, and following those improvements charge drivers for using routes that are still congested, but only in a manner that will not affect the economy, and when public transport alternatives exist?'
Firstly, tell me how can a Toll Tax not affect the economy when people will be charged for driving to work & businesses will be charged for delivering goods? And secondly what do you define as alternatives? The options I have outlined earlier are certainly not alternatives to me!
My question would be a simple one with no assumptions:
'Do you support the idea of paying for the use of the very same roads you & your forefathers have paid for many many times over out of the £50+ billion contributed to the government by road users EACH and EVERY year - of which ONLY £7 billion is put back into these same roads?'
Or how about:
'Do you support the idea of handing hundreds of millions of pounds to private companies to squander as they wish - money that has been loaned from central government and will ultimately be paid back by YOU whenever you use the roads?'
:D
Any other suggestions for a referendum question out there?
Kurt Stephens, Sale (01/05/2007 at 11:35)
Yes, I would happily have sat nav, cameras or whatever tracking the movements.