C-charge: Low income discounts

Yakub Qureshi

July 06, 2007

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Discounts for low earners

LOW income workers may pay 20 per cent less for travelling into Manchester centre, congestion charge bosses have said.

Someone on a lower income driving into the city centre could face a weekly fee of £20 - instead of the full rate of £25.

In a presentation to 100 business leaders from across the region, Roy Chapman, of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, revealed that a 20 per cent discount on the charges was being considered for low earners who needed to use their cars for work.

Details

But no details have yet been suggested on how drivers' income would be assessed or how they will prove their car travel is essential for their job.

Users of low-emission and environmentally-friendly cars would also be entitled to a discount, as yet undecided.

In response to concerns that there would be annual increases to the charges, GMPTE also said an `independent and transparent' process would review the charges every year.

Asked at the meeting about a possible referendum on charging, Manchester council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein said: "That's a political decision that will have to be made by councillors."

gmfuturetransport.co.uk

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Ms D, Manchester (07/07/2007 at 07:57)

I don't think £5 off is enough of a sweetener for the public to accept this. £20 per week is still an awful lot of money for someone on a low income. Those in charge want driving to be a luxury for those who can afford it. Driving will never be a luxury as it is part and parcel of the modern busy life, many of whom are trying desperately to juggle a full time job, home and children. If this comes in, employers will have to think about completely open flextime but in most cases, this will not even be an option.

PW, Manchester (07/07/2007 at 09:42)

Oh, well that's alright then. Certainly brought me round to their way of thinking. What it means is, they're not going to smack your -r-e as much if you're poor.

mark h buckley (07/07/2007 at 09:42)

over the last few weeks we the reidents of manchester have watched as the GMPTE/GMPTA & AGMA stagger from one publicity crisis to another.
this story is just as bereft of solid information - when these buffoons make these promises they should stick to giving hard facts which are cast in stone, all we seem to get is wishy washy promises of hot air.
mr jones please dispense with this madness and also resign and take your loony chums with you.
i am not a car driver but even i can see that this will cripple the m/c econony.

Manchester Against Road Tolls (07/07/2007 at 09:54)

What a joke.
If you are on a low income you will only be stung for £20 a week Toll Tax, instead of £25.
Who is organising all this - the Sheriff of Nottingham?

Simon B, www.manchestertolltax.com (07/07/2007 at 10:24)

Attempts to save some votes here.

so 960 instead of 1200

still 960 too much.

this a election promise.

they wont keep it.

Also looks like there has been some buck passing by the GMPTE to GMTA and AGMA

Quote

Asked at the meeting about a possible referendum on charging, Manchester council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein said: "That's a political decision that will have to be made by councillors."

end quote

GMPTE are council employees, GMPTA and AGMA are councillors.

MART website

www.manchestertolltax.com

The MART petition

www.gopetition.com/online/12888.html

Professor Bob (07/07/2007 at 10:47)

Leese,Merry and Smith have no confidence in the scheme thats why they will not let us have a referendum, they are scared to death of putting it to the vote,these Labour Bully boys are used to getting their own way and no way will they let you have a vote,But next elections you can vote them out of office.

ruth davis (07/07/2007 at 10:50)

£20.00 per week is aawful lot of money,for my right to travel,can I have rebate of Petrol tax,road fund licence and insurance.I think not.

Bobby (07/07/2007 at 10:54)

What I can see they want everyone to pay,even disabled people.what are the execptions for the disabled.Please tell us.many people use wheelchairs and have to use cars.

ace, manchester (07/07/2007 at 10:59)

Big deal so low income workers will only be ripped off for 20 quid instead of twenty five quid. thats very decent of "Dick turpin" (dicky leese?)hehheeheh.Its like saying to people on low income we will take a days wage off you...what a load of sickos this council/government are.

StanF, Leigh (07/07/2007 at 11:12)

Yet again get the money from those who have probably spent years on a low wage getting better qualified. This is simply another tax, the only fair charge would be to put fuel duty up then the tax would be paid by the big users. It's a gerat pity that the revenue is not spent on the roads as they are in an appalling condition.

SF, Leigh

Andy, Wythenshawe (07/07/2007 at 12:18)

'Low Income' workers should pay nothing, simple as that, or how about, for every thousand you earn ( those getting over 30k dont 'earn' it ) you pay 1 pound per week , those earning under 15k should be exempt.

Rob (MART), Denton (07/07/2007 at 13:03)

Wow - a whole five pound discount!! That makes no difference at all. The charge is still a rip off, and when they realise that they are not making enough money to pay for the charging system it will go up anyway.

It is a coincidence that they release this information just as they are coming up to the end of the first bid submission. The people of Greater Manchester are intelligent enough to know that we are still having the charges forced upon us.

Ms D, Manchester (07/07/2007 at 13:21)

If a referendum can only be decided by councillors then it's time for everyone against this tax to contact each of the three councillors in their ward and demand a referendum. I have done this today and I would suggest everybody else does too. The problem with people in this county is that we are too apathetic.

Sean, Manchester (07/07/2007 at 13:23)

The reduction means that someone on minimum wage will have to work almost half a day per week just to pay the con charge. If you add to that the ridiculous parking charges, then what we have here is the Authorities spin machine churning out yet another insulting piece of propaganda at the tax payers expense.

(wetsocks), Manchester (07/07/2007 at 15:26)

This just proves it's a tax. Low paid workers don't cause less congestion do they?

wkdboy1, Hyde (07/07/2007 at 15:36)

They will say anything to push this charge in, look at london, the price has doubled it is extending all the time and they still have congestion except they get lots more tax from the drivers. I dont believe anything they say as it will all be lies anyway. you are stupid to believe them.

rammylad, ramsbottom (07/07/2007 at 17:14)

So a low income worker will only hand over £1100 a year instead of £1200 a year (assuming one month's holiday). They'll be chuffed to bits given they don't have £1100 quid to give away. Gee Thanks Roger. Also how about a definition of low income, surely given your salary, bonuses, expenses etc. A low income worker to you is someone on £50k or less.

PW, Manchester (08/07/2007 at 16:57)

Those who advocate a Metrolink extension that's going nowhere for the majority of us, should be told they must dig in their own pockets to pay for it. You want it? Well it's a free country. But you have to pay.

While we're at it, why not demonstrate your socialist ideals in a practical way. Do you have a spare room? Good, then take in a couple of asylum-seekers, and live up to them. Soak the rich if you must, but your ideas are going to both hurt and marginalise the poor.

Snare Drum, Ashton-under-Lyne (08/07/2007 at 20:17)

whoopie do! Like stop the c-charge and stop talking rubbish. That still comes to over a thousand pounds a year.

paul teeque (09/07/2007 at 10:20)

Great that £200 a year saving get me a bit of holiday for a couple of days, what about the other £1k i'm paying for bottlenecking the roads with bus lanes?

Neutral (09/07/2007 at 10:31)

Wetsocks

Young people take up no less space on a bus but pay half the fare. As MART would say, you have to understand that's how capitalism works.

I pay national insurance but use the NHS on average, once a year. Someone earning less, and paying less NI than me, uses their doctor every week. Is that fair.

A person on a low salary, or a single parent, or an elderly citizen, or a disabled member of society often gets other benefits that many people don't. It doesn't make it wrong, it makes a fairer society.

ace, manchester (09/07/2007 at 15:50)

WE THE TAXPAYER/RATEPAYER WANT A SAY IN THIS WE NEED A REFERENDUM .WE DEMAND IT .........But will this government/council give us one .if they dont vote the council out of power for a start .manchester council should do what the ratepayer wants..........Remember to vote the people out of power if your not happy with them ......Dont just sit on your backside .

Simon B, www.manchestertolltax.com (10/07/2007 at 07:05)

the "local transport forum" at Manchester Town Hall on Friday 13th July.

It has been arranged by the GMPTA and is for people in the whole of the Greater Manchester area. The main topic is the proposal for "congestion charging" and what they will spend it on. These forums are mainly for invited people, but anybody can attend.

"Registration" and free tea and biscuits is at 10.30AM and the meeting starts at 11AM.

This will be the last "consultation" meeting before AGMA meets to on 27th July. If anyone is available to attend

ace, manchester (10/07/2007 at 10:46)

Simon B, www.manchestertolltax.com
I wonder why they hold it at that time of the day and in the townhall? could it be most people are at work and the others cannot afford the parking fees so it cuts down the amount of people attending???

Simon B, www.manchestertolltax.com (10/07/2007 at 12:13)

I agree Ace.

They have chosen a time most people will not be able to attend.

I wont be able to, I can not get the day off, so am depending on other people to make our points heard.

Last nights meeting at the Circle club shows they can have them at better times.

Had enough

That reply by your councillor is exactly what Sir Richard Leese said last night.

It is now the standard reply, as is the 25 percent fib told by Labour MPs

They predict by doing nothing we will gain 180000 jobs.

Improved public transport could bring another 30000.

Andrew Simpson, the boss of Peel Holdings said that imposing the congestion charge is a big risk, it could endanger future growth as Manchester would become less competitive vs Liverpool, Leeds and Warrington.

Why would you choose to come to Manchester when Liverpool and Leeds are free of the congestion charge?

On the sale of the Airport, Richard Leese scaremongered over increased council tax bills, but Andrew Simpson counter with the fact that Manchester Airport Group MAG only paid a dividend of 25 million last year, if the council sold it, they could simply bank the money and earn nearly 5 times more in interest per year.

A man with his own small business at the Manchester science park, asked how he was supposed to keep his employees when they were priced off the road.

He employs 10 people, and he knows at least one of them would have to leave due to the charge.

MART Website

www.manchestertolltax.com

Anti Con charge petition

www.gopetition.com/online/12888.html

please pass it around please.

we have 8 days to stop it!!!

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