THEY are Manchester's newest familiar faces. Now the stars of the larger-than-life posters for the congestion charge Yes Campaign are discovering the advantages of their celebrity status.
One woman who features in the adverts has been asked for her autograph and offered free taxi rides.
A cab driver recognised Clare O'Mahoney , 23, in Withington and gave her a complimentary journey in return for her signature.
Clare's face adorns billboards, lamp-posts and bus stops across Greater Manchester with the message `I won't have to pay the congestion charge when I go shopping.'
She said: "I got into the taxi with a friend and the driver was really shocked because he recognised me from a Rochdale billboard near his house. He said he sees it every day and there I was in his cab. It was pretty weird.
"I asked how much the taxi ride was and he said `nothing' - if you give me your autograph. I signed one of his receipts."
Clare lived has moved from Withington to the city centre, closer to work at the Whitworth Gallery. She uses buses to go shopping at the Trafford Centre and taxis in the evening.
Flattering
She added: "The charge is good for taxis because they're exempt and there'll be less traffic. The driver said I can have free trips if I ever see his taxi firm again."
Danielle Jephson, from Didsbury, also features in the campaign. The 24-year-old's surprised friends called her after spotting her poster.
She said: "I get messages and I've been asked if I was a model. It's flattering. I was shocked to see how big the posters are but the campaign is effective - my age group doesn't really think about the charge and it's got people talking."
Pensioner Tommy Walsh, 76, from Withington, is another poster star.
He said: "It's amazing how many people have come up to me saying, `I saw you at the bus stop'. It makes you feel a bit embarrassed.
"One or two people seem to think I have a look of Donny Osmond about me. There was a 3ft picture of me on a stand in Rochdale on Saturday and I saw a woman pause to look at it.
"I asked whether she thought I looked like that man and she said, `No, you look nothing like him.' So I haven't got much chance of being spotted."
Tommy, who would avoid the charge because he takes the bus into the city centre for shopping and lunch, said he doesn't need free taxi rides. But he would welcome a free pint from any fans.
All three found their new celebrity status after being contacted through friends and family members already involved in the Yes campaign.
New campaign posters are focussing on the £3bn of transport improvements that the congestion charge will bring if it gets through the referendum, which closes on December 11.
Chris Palmer, of the Yes Campaign, said: "The advertising campaign really seems to have hit home.
"I know that people are talking about the `nine out of 10 won't pay' message but it's great to hear about the positive response our `real-life stars' have had."
The bid would mean more than £2.75bn ploughed into transport schemes, including £318m to set up a peak hour, weekday-only congestion charge. The total includes £1.2bn in the form of a loan, paid back over 30 years out of profits from the charge.
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StevoDevo, Bolton (04/11/2008 at 07:08)
IanJ, Blackrod (04/11/2008 at 07:11)
If anything, they have galvanised opposition to the charge.
PW, Manchester (04/11/2008 at 07:29)
curiousyellow, Rusholme (04/11/2008 at 07:51)
9 out of 10 people won't pay? is that because 9 out of 10 people 'won't' pay?
johnnyboy, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancashire (04/11/2008 at 08:04)
LisaH (04/11/2008 at 08:11)
Polky (04/11/2008 at 08:15)
It's interesting that all the Taxis are behind this bid when you look at the Stockholm example that we keep being shown by the two Sirs.. They were exempt from paying over there, for the first year or two, and now they have to pay like everyone else.
If fact, if you go and take a really good look at the system which AGMA plan to implement in Gtr Manchester, you'd NEVER say yes, even if they gave us £30bn (which in my opinion, still wouldn't give us a world class system).
NS (04/11/2008 at 08:17)
People might be talking about it, but only in the sense of "what a load of cobblers - who do they take us for?"
dessie, manchester (04/11/2008 at 08:18)
Pentest 2, Hyde (04/11/2008 at 08:24)
Oh, by the way, just vote 'NO' and avoid another congestion hiting you hard in the finance department, IE: A 'CON' charge tax.
IanJ, Blackrod (04/11/2008 at 08:29)
Strangely, they seem to have sited these posters precisely where those seeing them will be saying "well I damn well will have to pay"
Ironically, the poster on the bus stop at Unity Brook on the A666 has been changed this morning for one advertising a new film called "Body of Lies" - how apt.
jeff jones, Office, next to radiator (04/11/2008 at 08:36)
Al Capone (04/11/2008 at 08:58)
Trumpetman21 (04/11/2008 at 09:21)
Watch how rabid it gets in the next few weeks.
Don't believe the hype....
Rammylad (04/11/2008 at 09:35)
Some stats to back that statement up - The new TX4 2.5lt Diesel engine does 42mpg in extra urban which is city centre traffic. However it pumps out a rather alarming 211g/km. By comparison my wee little focus petrol focus only emits 125g/km and 152g/km for a BMW 330d M Sport.
So basically this con-charge is nothing to do with reducing pollution it is simply about hitting the hard working man and women for more tax. If it was about clean air then taxis would not be exempt.
Sir Reginald Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire (04/11/2008 at 09:46)
"She added: "The charge is good for taxis because they're exempt."
Not if everyone catches the bus or the tram instead it won't be, or like me, walk the couple of miles and save a fiver.
Gramsci (04/11/2008 at 09:51)
PW, Manchester (04/11/2008 at 10:03)
Jay B, oldham (04/11/2008 at 10:06)
if i ever bump into one of these so called stars all i will do it ask them how they feel being used in a campaign that they do not understand.
like a football fan who only watches matches at weekends?
what about your mid week matchs?
a woman who works shifts. until they get moved into peak times. or the business relocates somewhere else.
a mother who goes shopping and an old bloke who travels off peak and doesnt realise the costs that'll be incurred with rises in living in manchester.
an man who catches the bus to work. yes prices are capped? but what is the cap? do you actually know?
what they all dont realise is that Pro TIF group have admitted they will have to use some other sort of revenue to pay off the loan.
and what have the not discounted?
Council Tax.
So 9 out of 10 will pay.
the lucky ones will be the drivers who live outside of greater manchester and can pass on the costs of the charge to their employer or business!
CliffeMafia, Radcliffe (04/11/2008 at 10:06)
How are they exempt from companies passing on their extra transportation costs? Or exempt from housing price falls due to proximity to the charging ring?
Pentest 2, Hyde (04/11/2008 at 10:10)
What each of these people reveal is that, once you get into the details of the TIF package, the outrageous '£1,200' for everyone propaganda from the NO campaign is incredibly wide of the mark. Nine out of ten won't pay - and we can all benefit from a new integrated transport system that Greater Manchester desperately needs...
Yes I agree with you, £1200.00 would be wide of the mark ...more like a stealth tax millstone round the necks of the greater manchester tax payers, for years to come. £1200 will be chicken feed to what we will actually end up paying.
Just Vote 'NO' You know it makes economical sense.
Kurt Stephens (04/11/2008 at 10:24)
Without TIF businesses will waste more and more money as they deliveries and staff are caught up in every growing congestion, the costs will be huge and will eclipse any charges that are passed on from the TIF bid. Presumably if the charges are to be passed on this implies that the companies will give pay rises to all the staff affect by the charge and the individual themselves will not be affected???
The fact is, congestion already costs business money, and will as time progresses cost more and more if nothing is done - how can it make economic sense to have staff sat in traffic jams during the working day as happens at the moment.
Even if 1 in 10 is worse off, which they won't be given the clearer roads, and time saved through lower congestion, given over 30% of the population have no access to a car in Greater Manchester, and they tend to be the worse off in society, no one can possibly deny that at least (I'd suggest many many more) 3 out of 10 will benefit DIRECTLY from TIF, whereas the other 7 out of 10 will benefit from side effects such as lower congestion, lower costs to business from congestion, a cleaner city, a better, more socially inclusive city.
I'm afraid, until an anti tells me how the poorest parts of the city, such as Wythenshawe, will benefit through not having TIF, then I will continue to believe that they are more interested in themselves rather than the general well being of the city-region as a whole.
Jay B, oldham (04/11/2008 at 10:34)
i havent seen any of those about? i wonder why? because its not fair!
especially the 5 metrolink extensions one!
the government promised this in the original big bang expansion and then let us down.
they've constantly let us down over the last 10 years on the promises they made on public transport!
not fair at all!
we're not fooled!!
vote NO!
Buzz, Moston (04/11/2008 at 10:34)
I certainly haven't.
Polky (04/11/2008 at 10:58)
What Extra capacity? I see no plans to widen the roads to allow all these TiF buses... Only the current bus lanes and an extension to the tram network (most of which is already paid for) which will ONLY serve 10% of Manchester.
The fact IS that there is NO congestion in Manchester which can’t be solved by returning the road layouts to their pre labour formats, where most of the arteries into Manchester were dual carriageways. Taking this into account, along with the fact that most congestion is CAUSED by buses, I don’t see how ANY company will make any more money if this ludicrous bid s successful.
The fact that the selfish ME-ME attitude of the Yes campaign stating that “only 10% will pay” and “We’re alright only those poor suckers have to pay” only serves to make me wonder how any intelligent person could possibly fall for the proposals.
If you go and stand by the side of any A road out of Manchester and count the number of people on the buses currently, you’ll realise that we don’t actually need any more... This whole bid is designed so that the Not-so-great Gordo can fiel test his idea for national road pricing. FACT.
Until you can prove to me that the poorest parts of the city will benefit from TiF and not be ignored or be part of the 20% we’ll do after the charge comes in (ie. Never) then it’s a firm NO from me.