THE government risks blackmailing places like Greater Manchester into congestion charging with the promise of cash for public transport, an influential committee of MPs claims today.
Towns and cities have been placed under `very powerful' pressure to come up with local road pricing schemes, says the Commons transport select committee.
The MPs' report comes after Greater Manchester's 10 councils agreed last month to bid for £1.2bn from the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF), plus permission to borrow £1.8bn more. That would be paid back over 30 years from the proceeds of a peak-hour congestion charge of up to £5 a day.
The select committee - which includes Graham Stringer, Labour MP for Manchester Blackley, and Withington Lib Dem John Leech - has been taking evidence on TIF as part of a wider inquiry.
It pointed out that only £1.4bn was due to be made available for congestion-busting schemes over seven years under TIF, meaning a successful Greater Manchester bid would all but exhaust the pot.
The report adds: "The pressure on local government to bring forward proposals for charging schemes is now very powerful.
"In the face of severe funding pressure, we do not accept that congestion TIF guidance should, in effect, restrict the availability of funds for much-needed improvements in transport infrastructure to only those authorities that will consider local road pricing schemes.
"This risks blackmailing local authorities to conduct road-pricing trials on behalf of the government in advance of a possible national scheme.
"If the congestion TIF is to encourage genuine innovation the fund should be open to all authorities, including those for whom road pricing does not represent the best solution to their congestion problems."
Ministers have said they will consider bids for TIF that do not include congestion charges. But, in private, council chiefs have been left in little doubt such bids would have practically no chance of success.
What do you think of the congestion charge? Have your say.
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Simon B, www.manchestertolltax.com (03/08/2007 at 09:46)
It is blackmail
they are being told this is the ONLY public transport money for the next 5 years, and you can ONLY have it if you impose a congestion charge.
PW, Manchester (03/08/2007 at 09:50)
marc (03/08/2007 at 09:54)
Simon B, www.manchestertolltax.com (03/08/2007 at 10:02)
All AGMA did on Friday was submit a bid to the DfT
This is not a done deal by a long shot, but only public opinion and objections from local business will stop it.
ace, manchester (03/08/2007 at 10:22)
paul teeque (03/08/2007 at 10:42)
Finally another x2 mp's that prove democracy may still have a glimmer of hope in Manchester.
I suggest we contact these guys with all the evidence we have on AGMA's "methods" for forcing the C-charge in and let them know the true facts "80% of manchester DONT want to pay £2080 a year for funds the government doesn't have".
1. John Leech MP
leechj@parliament.uk
http://www.john-leech.co.uk/
2. Graham Stringer MP
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/graham_stringer/manchester,_blackley
Hope this is useful
Chris, Irlam (03/08/2007 at 11:14)
paul teeque (03/08/2007 at 11:19)
http://www.writetothem.com/who?pc=M9+7FL&fyr_extref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theyworkforyou.com%2Fmp%2Fgraham_stringer%2Fmanchester%2C_blackley
cashonly, Nimes (03/08/2007 at 11:19)
results, with lots of pedestrian areas.
Perry Narrington (03/08/2007 at 11:26)
Rest in chorus: "Just make sure they don't do anything useful with it!"
Ian (03/08/2007 at 12:39)
mancmonkey (03/08/2007 at 12:40)
It will get passed by the elected bufoons at Westminster unless we do something.
Mass protest outside the council offices, Gridlock Manchester, whatever it takes I am more than up for it and so I bet are countless others.
And stop voting Labour in Manchester, they may have been for the working class once in there history but no more.
Chris, Irlam (03/08/2007 at 13:09)
The Government had been going down this road before ditching it in favour of Road Pricing a few years back.
Time to reconsider that decision methinks....
Black Sabbath (03/08/2007 at 13:12)
shayla (03/08/2007 at 13:31)
It is blackmailing.
Well, we can blackmail too.
If you gives us a congestion charge, we will vote you out.
I admit it, that is blackmail, but at least I'm upfront about it.
NO, we don't want it, how many times do you need to be told..... are YOU as stupid as you THINK we are?
Black Flag (03/08/2007 at 13:37)
This is offering money to get the recipient to act a certain way, which is bribery.
Simon B, www.manchestertolltax.com (03/08/2007 at 13:55)
Quick, call the plod!!!
norman b, Salford (03/08/2007 at 14:20)
ruth davis (03/08/2007 at 14:45)
Snare Drum, Ashton-under-Lyne (03/08/2007 at 15:15)
Joey, Ashton under Lyne, (03/08/2007 at 15:25)
The problem is that it is five years away - There are very few people who would willingly pay the charge if it came out of their own pocket but five years for it to happen is lightyears away to lots of people today.
All the protests will fall on deaf ears - either the government will give them the cash or they wont. It is up to those that oppose it to make sure that it cannot work in practice - I for one will never travel into Manchester unless I do on my free over 60's travel permit and I certainly will not spend any money there. it may only amount to 3000 grand a year that I am withholding - but the government are going to let Greater Manchester spend 3000 grand per household on public transport "improvements" (aprox 2000 grand of which is repayable over 30 years) so someone is going to have to pay my bit for me.
ace, manchester (03/08/2007 at 16:37)
rammylad, ramsbottom (03/08/2007 at 17:52)
1) Get Richard and Roger arrested for Blackmail - Good fun but a long shot to make it stick. Let's face it when a court is presented with a 17 year old lad who has stolen a car and run over a granny and admits it they still send him home.
2) Protest outside the town hall, Richards House or Roger's house. That would be fun but they can shut the blinds or take themselves to another part of the building.
3) Blow up the town hall - it woul dcertainly get their attention along with the rest of the worlds attention but slightly illegal.
4) Set up an AGMC (Association of Greater Manchester Citizens), write a constitution, set up a bank account and submit a bid for £1.4bn of TIF money but instead of the not so very innovative car tax, actually put down innovative ideas. Let's start with the map the council used to show where we have congestion at the various rates, i.e. 300 secs / km etc. Then let's visit those areas and find out why on that 200 yard stretch is there an issue and then let's act locally to resolve that issue. If we identify there are 200 similar 200 yards bottlenecks then we simply repeat the excersice 200 times. Yes it will cost time to investigate each cause and there is not one solution fits all but that in itself makes this an innovative solution. Who's up for a bit of research and submitting an AGMC TIF bid. The government have said we are not too late.
5) Stop buying anything from shops in manchester and show them what it will be like when we have no money. I am doing that already and loving watching my bank balance grow. My savings are through the roof in just two months.
Dave Pickup (03/08/2007 at 18:15)
Dave@Home, Manchester (03/08/2007 at 18:26)
If the former is successful, the latter should not be necessary.
btw
There was an interesting program on TV recently about the C word - just about says it all??