TRANSPORT bosses have failed to secure a delay to the start of a £3m public consultation on congestion charging.
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority chiefs wanted `a few days sensible consideration' before leaflets on the scheme were distributed throughout the area.
Coun Matt Colledge and Coun Keith Whitmore, who were only installed as chair and vice-chair of GMPTA last month, wanted to scrutinise draft documents before they were sent out.
But it's understood the survey is to begin as planned on Monday.
"This is one of the most important decisions facing Greater Manchester and we must make sure local people and businesses have their say, based on information that is full, fair, balanced and accurate," said Coun Colledge, Tory deputy leader of Trafford Council.
The introduction of congestion charging would bring £3bn of government investment in improvements to public transport in return.
Coun Colledge, who was elected chair of GMPTA after the Tories struck a deal with the Liberal Democrats, replaced Labour's Roger Jones, who lost the post and his Salford council seat in an anti-congestion charge backlash in May.
Coun Whitmore said: "As elected members we need the reassurance that all the facts are made clear to the public if they are going to have make their mind up on this important decision."
The consultation includes £810,000 spent on advertising - including peak-time ITV1 ads featuring ex-Corrie star Chris Bisson - and £675,000 on opinion research.
A further £627,000 has been earmarked for a `consultation brochure' that will be sent to all 1.2m homes and businesses in Greater Manchester.
What do you think? Have your say.
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Bill Green-Chorlton, Chorlton cum Hardy (03/07/2008 at 23:40)
Dave Telford, Heaton Moor (03/07/2008 at 23:52)
Uncle Buck, Burnage (04/07/2008 at 01:39)
Jay B, oldham (04/07/2008 at 08:54)
also all this money for a lovely new car park for the councillors could be spent as well. then there wouldn't be a need to have a car park. then they like us could travel on public transport too.
suge, mancs (04/07/2008 at 09:44)
Jimmy, Timperley, Timperley (04/07/2008 at 10:50)
I have spoken to quite a few people who support it, granted they don’t work within the M60; they mainly drive outwards in to Cheshire.
It will be interesting to see how the result comes out; at least a referendum will resolve the issue once and for all.
(DAVE GODDARD FOR LEADER OF MANC) paul teeque (04/07/2008 at 10:51)
Laura Norder, Didsbury (04/07/2008 at 11:40)
The amount of tripe that is posted by the 'Me-Me'(s), would soon convince them that the C-charge will be beneficial to the majority of Manchester people.
citycentre, manchester (04/07/2008 at 12:55)
Black Sabbath (04/07/2008 at 14:24)
All paid-up members of FoE or their subsiduary CAN I'll bet.
Talk abut 'me-me-me' & 'I'm alright Jack' attitudes.
jomov, Manchester (04/07/2008 at 14:40)
citycentre, manchester (04/07/2008 at 15:18)
i will take that bet, how much do you want to give me?
I dont know anyone in FoE and have never heard of CAN
How is thinking paying for road use a me-me-me attitude? Most people I know work inside both charging zones so would probably pay the full ammount to get to work; the ones if favour think the extra investment in public transport is worth the cost; the ones against that the possible effect on business costs and jobs may be too high
mancmanomyst, Wythenshawe (05/07/2008 at 13:19)
It would even cost me to vist my mum in fallowfield (she lives just past wilbraham road where they want the inner ring)
But i'm still in favour of the charge because we desperately need the improved public transport.
Some people using this site like to belittle and bully anyone who doesnt share the same opinion as them and it's pathetic.
Concentrate on the issues involved - not people bashing. We all have opinions - we all have different interests in the proposals.
If you don't like the C-Charge, can you think of alternative ways to raise the money we need? Do you want higher council tax? Raise the prices of existing transport? Sell the airport?
OR hope the tories win the next election and convince them to reconsider the big bang?
We need the transport - whats the answer?
AlexisV (06/07/2008 at 22:37)
Yes. The government GIVES us the 1.8 billion, we forget the 1.2 billion of loan money loan and we just scale down the public transport scheme.
One part of the problem is the government blackmailing us and shifting any risk onto local government.
Chris, Irlam (07/07/2008 at 09:31)
I'll take that one, since air travel will be in permament decline very soon.
mancmanomyst, Wythenshawe (07/07/2008 at 10:47)
I remember the good old days of GM Buses when i could get into town for 28p.
Now the profit made from the buses has to go to the shareholders of First, Arriva and Stagecoach instead of reinvested in new stock.
We even have to subsidise these companies to run unprofitable (but very much needed) routes.
Selling the airport will create a huge hike in council tax long term as the money the 10 councils make from the airport keeps our council tax down
Black Flag (07/07/2008 at 12:17)
Public sector control of buses is always doomed to fail, because it takes control out of the hands of passengers and puts it into the hands of politicians and bureaucrats, who, for some reason, seem to think they know better than the passenger what the passenger wants.
I agree about the stupidity of having taxpayers subsidising unprofitable routes. If a route can't attract enough passengers to cover its costs, it shouldn't be the responsibility of the taxpayer to prop it up.
polkyb (07/07/2008 at 12:34)
Absolutely. It should be the job of the profitable routes to prop up the loss making routes, including night services which appear to have disappeared these days.
Black Flag (07/07/2008 at 13:12)
As far as I'm aware there are still weekend night services running well into the early hours.
As for the idea that profitable routes should prop up the loss making routes, that should be down to the passenger. If passengers are prepared to pay for a full network ticket which includes some loss making routes, then yes.
If passengers want cheaper travel instead, without paying for unprofitable routes, then it would be down to the operators to either increase the price on the unprofitable routes, if there is scope, or stop running them.
Sir Reg Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire. (07/07/2008 at 13:47)
"Public sector control of buses is always doomed to fail"
Prior to the formation of SELNEC at least two corporation run bus services made a profit: Ashton and SHMD. Unlike Manchester they did not run an "All Night Service" or run buses when there was no call for them.
It is cheaper to give a drunk the taxi fare home - instead of operating an all nignt service with just one or two passengers in the wee small hours.
enlightened (07/07/2008 at 14:03)
Black Flag (07/07/2008 at 14:45)
Making a profit is only part of the story. It is fairly easy for a public sector bus company, operating with an enforced monopoly, to run profitably by focusing purely on the safest routes, as you say Ashton and SHMD did. The result of that action will eventually end up being unsatisfied demand on other potential routes and without the potential for competition, that situation can continue unchecked.
That is part of the reason why buses went into managed decline when they were under local authority control. While they were ticking along, the managers had no incentive to go out and compete with the car, so passenger numbers steadily declined.
In an open market, the operators have the threat of competition, the need to make profit and the freedom to take the kind of risks that the public sector shouldn't, which creates an environment in which they need to actively go out to win passengers, which includes competing with the car.
stacy (08/07/2008 at 12:58)
Do you not have a JOb? or is this it?
Black Flag (08/07/2008 at 13:52)
What a genius comment, considering that I've said on other threads that I don't support the congestion charge and the comments I've made on this thread are opposing the re-regulation of buses that would go along with the TIF bid.
Are you trying to set a new world record for irony?
Jay B, oldham (09/07/2008 at 11:56)
the government are blackmailing us with the loan for public transport. havent we already paid enough in tax? we should get it already. now nearly all public transport is privately owned it should be these companies investing their profits in it.
i like the way the con charge website has changed its questions to force you to say yes all the time to subliminally drum it into your head until they ask you the all important question and you accidentally say yes to it!