Peter Fuller, 64, stands at junction 17 of the motorway, near Bury, with a home-made sandwich board saying `your £30 per week congestion charge starts here'.
He claims he gets regular honks of support from rush-hour motorists.
Mr Fuller, a post office worker from Prestwich, says he has staged his one-man protest several times since Greater Manchester lodged its bid for billions of pounds of transport cash in return for the charge.
"I do believe this would be the worst thing to happen to Manchester in my lifetime," he said. "I just felt nobody else was doing anything and that there was complete inactivity on the `no' side of the debate.
"I decided to set myself to the task and try to galvanise people against the charge."
Mr Fuller said he usually sets up stall between 7am and 9.30am - the hours in the morning when the charge would apply.
He chose his spot because it is just outside the outer of the two proposed charging `rings'.
The bid would mean more than £2.75bn being ploughed into transport schemes, including £318m to set up the 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.
The bid will only go ahead if people in seven out of 10 council areas vote for it in a postal referendum, which starts later this month. The result will be declared on December 12.
Leaders of the region's councils voted 7-3 last week to accept a form of wording on the ballot papers asking if people support the proposals.
Mr Fuller, for one, thinks the likely result remains on a knife-edge. "It is going to be very close," he said.
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
MancunianTiger, Radcliffe (05/11/2008 at 06:37)
Audenshaw Bob (05/11/2008 at 07:24)
A Bus Driver (05/11/2008 at 07:56)
MancunianTiger, Radcliffe
Don't be silly, Pensioners have nothing better to do !! Apart from coming on the bus of course and wrecking the ticket machine, snatching and tearing the ticket out before it has finished printing !
johnnyboy, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancashire (05/11/2008 at 08:18)
Peter (05/11/2008 at 08:21)
Don't be silly, Pensioners have nothing better to do !! Apart from coming on the bus of course and wrecking the ticket machine, snatching and tearing the ticket out before it has finished printing !
A Bus Driver,
5/11/2008 at 07:56 "
As a pensioner he has nothing to gain. However he is a proud Northerner and believes that the Toll Tax would be bad for his region. He is not displaying the "I`m alright Jsck" attitude of the Pro-Toll advertising campaign. I read this as being a rather selfless act as this guy is probably one of those that could benefit from the transport tax on workers. He sums it up as "..the worst thing to happen to Manchester in my lifetime". I say, well done Sir. Before bus drivers start bleating on about stereotyped pensioners they should look at their own image - miserable sods who have difficulty keeping their vehicles on the road let alone on the bus route and have a worrying appetite for trying to reduce passenger numbers by attempting to despatch them to the great ticket collector in the sky!
PW, Manchester (05/11/2008 at 08:41)
DO YOU WANT A CONGESTION CHARGE STEALTH TAX WAGE CUT? - vote AGAINST TIF. VOTE NO! (05/11/2008 at 08:53)
By the way on Thursday or Friday David Ike will be on Galaxy 102 radio in the morning talking about the truth behind the congestion charge.
Paul
Rt Hon Dr Rev MC Spanner MP QC FCA FRICS JP OK (05/11/2008 at 09:10)
Why- For being a democrat. For thinking of other people. He should get the freedom of Bury. Typical of a yes voyter to think that a "no-voter" should be punished. Just like all the people that have to pay the Toll Tax
Polky (05/11/2008 at 09:15)
I got news for you all..
I've seen the future in Stockholm and London and it doesn't look anywhere near as rosey as you YES guys are painting it.
Trumpetman21 (05/11/2008 at 09:20)
Vote NO to the Toll Tax in December - you know it makes sense!
Sir Reginald Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire (05/11/2008 at 09:20)
" just hope he isn't one of these pensioners that then complains when his bus doesn't turn up or when his local bus service is withdrawn because there are no funds to support it."
At the moment 20% of all bus journeys in Greater Manchester are subsidised, infact if the extra school buses come on stream the subsidy will be spread even thinner as they will only be run for schools and not be available to the general puplic, unlike now! plus - they will only be used for half a year and be idle the rest of the time the schoolies are off.. The TIF does not propose a more reliable service - only that we shall have more buses (whether used or not). There is not going to be spare drivers sitting in a canteen waiting for a driver to ring in sick to make sure the 7.30 is not cancelled.
Jay B, oldham (05/11/2008 at 09:26)
you are not fooled by all the rubbish, propoganda and the overall bribe that is the TIF bid.
why can people not see that is just a large debt put on the shoulders of mancunians for the next 30 years.
and that initially it will propbably be only the drivers that it costs.
but over time with costs passed on, prices rising, fare caps removed and council tax increases. everyone will end up paying!
all we're getting is a few new trams, lines and buses with a couple of bus stations and a smartcard system too. nothing near world class standards.
we're not fooled!
Vote NO
Laura Norder, Didsbury (05/11/2008 at 09:42)
By the way on Thursday or Friday David Ike will be on Galaxy 102 radio in the morning talking about the truth behind the congestion charge." - Paul
DO YOU WANT A CONGESTION CHARGE STEALTH TAX WAGE CUT? - vote AGAINST TIF. VOTE NO!,
You mean 'Icke', the poor soul that believes many of his fellow beings are reptiles, is being allowed out for the day?
Sorry, I won't be listening, I have to shed my skin on those days.
we deserve better (05/11/2008 at 09:57)
Did I imagine it or was there an article somewhere on here yesterday regarding the Government’s approval to the reduction of train services through Stockport Station?
Pentest 2, Hyde (05/11/2008 at 10:11)
I doubt whether the Pro 'CON' campaigners will be having him on their advertising posters.
This man can see through the haze of confusion that the 'CON' charge would bring.
'VOTE NO' You know it makes economical sense.
I and the majority of the GM voting public, are with you all the way Peter.
Jay B, oldham (05/11/2008 at 10:43)
get back to the playground luv. thats where name calling usually occurs!
Rt Hon Dr Rev MC Spanner MP QC FCA FRICS JP OK (05/11/2008 at 10:49)
That's like having Bin Laden supporting you.
Sir Reginald Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire (05/11/2008 at 11:01)
He hopes to do more for (Greater) Manchester than all the Lovies and celebs they normally have.
brummyview (05/11/2008 at 11:18)
ELAINE BROLAN (05/11/2008 at 12:31)
ETB.
Laura Norder, Didsbury (05/11/2008 at 12:47)
Vote 'YES' for progress!
Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (05/11/2008 at 12:58)
Well done Mr Fuller, you are a true northerner.
M Haworth, Bacup (05/11/2008 at 13:30)
ELAINE BROLAN
Probably not, but what it may do is demonstrate to folk that haven't realised that the charge would effect them, crossing into the charging zone at that point, at that time. and could well swing a few of those floating voters into voting No.
Dan Pollard (05/11/2008 at 13:48)
He says it will be the worst thing to ever happen to Manchester, but why?
rlfan, greater manchester (05/11/2008 at 13:55)