DRIVERS in Greater Manchester are not on a fast track to pay-as-you-go motoring, it has been pledged.
New Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander had raised fears among motorists that they could soon be paying up to é1.30 a mile to drive as they are tracked by satellite.
He said he "will shortly be issuing an invitation to participate in a series of demonstration projects".
Speculation that some of the first could be in this area was fuelled by the fact that members of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority are at a conference on congestion charging in Stockholm.
Experts
But PTA chairman Coun Roger Jones promised from the Swedish capital: "We have not put our hat in the ring, and even if this kind of thing was introduced, it would take six or seven years."
Although councils in Greater Manchester are not taking part in trials, experts are using government grants to find the worst congestion black spots.
The local authorities were waiting for Mr Alexander's predecessor, Alistair Darling, to announce the go-ahead for three stalled extensions to Metrolink, taking trams to Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside and the airport. Coun Jones still believes the é520m go-ahead will be given next month.
"I don't think our current deal is dependent on us agreeing to congestion charging," he said. "But you have to think that is the way things are going.
"I am not an enthusiast of congestion charging and we have always said we need to improve public transport first. But we are here to find out more about it, because we do need to work with the government in future.
"We want to see Metrolink expanding even further - and if the government play ball on that, we may have to look at congestion charging."
Should congestion charging be introduced? Have your say.
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??1.30 a mile..is this man a nutter ? The consequences of such would led to the UK shutting down..what would that do to reforms ?
Crazy.
Congestion charging will lead to the development of a whole new industry, including: Cloned Plates, a hammer through the black box, a crisp packet over the aerial, a hacked black box, a duplicate black box, stolen credit card information uploaded to the black box, hacked cards etc. CHIP AND PIN IS NOT SECURE, SEARCH THE INTERNET AND YOU WILL FIND THE BLANKS FOR LESS THAN A QUID A CARD AND THE WRITERS FOR LESS THAN 30QUID. It is worth remembering however that the government has no intention what so ever of introducing road user charging, all they want to do is divert your attention from labours current woes and they know full well that nothing angers the public more than this subject.
Next time anyone interviews the minister coluld they ask: In which manifesto did the electorate get to vote for this measure. Then show the minister a photo of all the traffic at a standstill going into town (or on a motorway) and one car going in the opposite direction with no hold ups and ask:Why should the motorist who is not causing congestion in the same area pay the same as those who are.
I dont beleive anything these politicians say or do they are the self preservation society at the end of the day?
no
I want clean air and will gladly pay for it. I can aford this so it is fine with me. Others should take the bus.
Soon the air will cost us all, so why not preserve it for the future generations.
It will arrive sooner than later, MCC can't help themselves. Metrolink mentioned again and again. Lets get real if we want public transport to be a real option, send the metrolink down Wilmslow road, Princess parkway and Kingsway, not to the poxy out-posts metrolink serves. The metrolink will work if you evaluate the number of cars; per road. The afore mentioned must be at the top of the list.
If this governments record on using technology id anything to go by then we could be paying ??13.00 per mile or should that be they will be paying us ??1.30 per mile when we use the roads. Whe we, the taxpayers, can see that they have a proven track record with technology then we may have a little, but only a little, faith in what they propose.
Coun Jones and the rest be warned - bring this Trojan Horse to the population of Manchester and you WILL reap the whirlwind. The public are simmering just below the surface over a number of issues, this will see it erupt into riots and chaos on a scale never seen in this country before....
Ah, a tax on the poor is it then. Obviously paying this amount per mile for people in high paid jobs will be insignificant. But to the lower earners it will seriously affect their livelihoods as they are most likely not in any position to change their start times for work. Charges like this should only be imposed when people have other options such as safe and reliable public transport. I think that you will find that the government does not really want everyone to stop using their cars as it relies on the obscene levels of tax from fuel duty to prop up other parts of the economy. If it lost this, where would it then recover the lost revenue.
Use the bus? Have you seen the rubbish a bus spews out? Huge engines burning dirty diesel, poorly maintained fleets of outdated transport? Until the government abolish road tax and provide clean electric buses (or ensure that the private companies comply with buying new electric buses) then this should not be implemented. Give the traveler the clean, efficient and cheap alternatives, scrap road tax and then pay as you go will be a viable proposal. Until then its just another money spinner that wont be reinvested in transport. Further to this, todays cars burn cleaner than ever. The new Lexus and Toyota Priusssesi thing are vastly efficient and very clean. More of these vehicles should be on the road and less busses! Also, bus lanes cause congestion, filter the majority of road users into one lane because the bus companies want their own lane and you restrict road space by half! The government need to make the first move, as I have stated, give the nation clean, cheap and viable alternatives of transport or they can shove off! I will still use my car, which is small, economical and very environmentally friendly. A lot less emissions than a diesel bus!
I agree with putting the Metrolink down Wilmslow Rd, Kingsway and Princess Parkway. Or put better seperated bus lanes. The metrolink needs a modern fleet. We need to remove some of the traffic lights that is what is causing congestion.
i agree free car lanes , sort out traffic lights . get traffic moving .,,,,,,, im a low paid worker im female and need my car for my job.
ive saved hard and long to own my car now i want the freedom to use it.