THE final list of public transport improvements for Salford has been revealed, just three weeks before ballot papers are sent out for the congestion charging referendum.
Following a meeting of the leaders of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) on Friday, October 31, the final changes which would affect Salford were announced.
They include a £20m upgrade of Salford Crescent station and changes to the location of the congestion charge ring boundary.
If TIF is approved, a £20m contribution from TIF and a further £12m from Local Transport Plan Funds would be made to the redevelopment of Salford Crescent station, which would provide more and longer platforms, and increased capacity.
A bus station would be built next to Salford Central station and a further £5m would be spent on its ease of use and facilities, as part of a wider improvement scheme.
Walkden, Irlam and Eccles stations would also be improved and commuter trains running through Salford would have extra carriages.
There would also be changes to the bus routes in the Salford district, with buses running every four to five minutes from Eccles to the Trafford Centre and a guided busway along the East Lancs Road.
The Metrolink system would receive 62 new vehicles and 41 new stops equipped with new ticket machines ready to receive Smartcard ticketing as well as debit and credit card payments.
The improvements will be paid for, in part, by a weekday, peak-time only directional congestion charge would only be introduced after 80 per cent of the public transport improvements are in place and could cost up to £6 a day.
Following the AGMA meeting a public referendum is set to be held in all 10 local authority areas of Greater Manchester. Ballot papers are set to be distributed from late November. Ballot papers must be returned by 10pm on December 11.
If at least seven out of the 10 councils decide they are in favour of the Transport Innovation Fund proposals they would proceed to the next stage.
Lis Phelan, chair of the Yes campaign, said: "When our street team was out canvassing in Salford last week we had a really positive response to the proposed investment in buses and trains running through the city but the issue of bus fares came up time and time again. A bus fares cap and cheap fares for workers on a low income will be a major selling point for public transport users in Salford.
"Salford Crescent station has been in need of a major rebuild for years. It cannot cope with its peak time passenger numbers so I am delighted that a ‘Yes’ vote will secure a major rebuilding of the station.
"I am convinced that these two extra initiatives added to already excellent proposals will result in a ‘Yes’ vote in Salford in December."
Figures released by MORI last week, as part of documents on the TIF bid, show that people in the city who responded to AGMA’s consultation on the proposals were overwhelmingly negative about them.
According to the document, ‘negative responses from Salford outnumbered positive ones by two-and-a-half to one’.
In Salford, 7,064 responses were received in response to the consultation, with 2,596 people falling into the ‘negative views’ bracket and only 1,010 classed as ‘positive views’.
Over half of Salford businesses were also against the proposals.
Almost one in six of the consultation responses had comments about the consultation process itself, claiming that the charge was already ‘a done deal’ and that the consultation, which ran for 14 weeks from July to October, was a ‘sham’.
Respondents also claimed there would be little improvements for their local area. The survey also shows that public transport users, although more likely to be in favour of the charge, were concerned that Salford would not directly benefit from the new bus and tram routes.
Salfordians were also the most vociferous group when complaining about the reliability and cleanliness of the public transport network.
Most frequent among these was the view that services were unreliable and that they do not run on time or to timetable.
Respondents also claimed that bus services were slow and infrequent.
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According to our local councillor, Walkden will have the number of buses REDUCED as a result of a successful TIF bid. Everyone will pay, even if you don’t drive as additional costs to business will be passed on to you through shops, pubs and other outlets therefore it makes a nonsense of the current Yes campaign that proclaims you will only be charged if you drive in peak periods. For those of you who are not aware, it is us, the general public and taxpayers that are paying for the Yes camp to brainwash us into thinking that Congestion Charging is good. There is no money being spent on the No campaign. Do not be fooled, Congestion Charging is just another stealth tax. The outcome of the December referendum must be NO NO NO NO NO NO if you do not want £1200+ per annum removed from your paypacket. Do not waste your vote and return it before December 10th. Also LORD Peter Smith or SIR Richard or SIR Howard, you seem to have letters and articles published everywhere endorsing the Yes vote, therefore would you please answer the following question: Why are you not publicising how you intend to collect the congestion charge. Is it true that motorist would be forced to fit an expensive device to their car in order that they may be charged if they stray into the congestion charge zone. Strange how it is all these titled gents that are in favour of a congestion charge - do you think they will be paying - not on your Nelly
Parkie - you seem troubled, and needlessly so: Walkden are getting more buses - and longer trains If the congestion charge works then it should lower business costs, you don't need to save much time/fuel or do many extra deliveries to make back a £2 or even a £5 charge The Yes cammapign is not publically funded. In fact as far as I can tell it is being funded by busineses, mainly property developers whose business growth depends on them attracting more businesses to the city. Obviously they don't think it will be bad for business! And they have released the figure for the small device that will be used to collect the charge... it's free. But if that is too much there are plenty of other ways to pay. Or you can get a bus, or train, afterall they will be cheaper and there will be more of them! Sweet Dreams R x
Yes it"s another load of waffle from C charge sympathisers! Those who can afford it don"t care about the rest of us they want clear roads so they can drive there Tanks 4x4"s into town without you or me in there way
Parkie - you seem troubled, and needlessly so: Walkden are getting more buses - and longer trains NO THEY ARE NOT, THE TRAIN OPERATORS WILL DETERMINE WHEN AND WHERE THESE CARRIAGES ARE USED, THERE ARE ALSO BUS ROTES THAT ARE BEING REDUCED TOO. If the congestion charge works THATS A BIG IF ISNT IT? then it should lower business costs, HOW DO YOU WORK THAT ONE OUT? ALL THOSE WORKERS THAT WILL HAVE TO PAY THE CHARGE WILL WANT HIGHER PAY TO OFSET HE CHARGE. COST THAT WILL BE PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMER. you don't need to save much time/fuel or do many extra deliveries to make back a £2 or even a £5 charge NOT ALL EMPLOYMENT IS ABOUT DELIVERIES, IN WHAT WAY WOULD AN OFFICE BASED EMPLOYER SAVE MONEY. ONCE THE STAFF ARE IN WORK THEY WONT INCUR A CHARGE THEREFORE IT IS THOSE ON TH EWAY TO AND FROM WORK THAT WILL PAY FROM THERE PERSONAL FINANCES. The Yes cammapign is not publically funded. THE BID HAS BEEN COLLATED BY THE MANCHESTER PASENGER TRANSPORT EXEUTIVE HEADED BY SIR HOWARD BERNSTIEN. NON POLITICAL, DONT MAKE ME LAUGH. In fact as far as I can tell it is being funded by busineses, mainly property developers whose business growth depends on them attracting more businesses to the city. THE BID HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BUSINESSES, HOWEVER THEY MAY OR MAY NOT AGREE WITH THE BID AS IT STANDS. THERE SEEMS TO BE MORE AGAINST THAN FOR THE PROPOSAL. Obviously they don't think it will be bad for business! NOT THEIR PERSONAL BUSINESS, BUT MANY THINK IT WILL BE BAD FOR THEIRS AND FOR MANCHESTER AS A WHOLE. And they have released the figure for the small device that will be used to collect the charge... it's free. NO ITS NOT, WHERE DID YOU GET THAT ONE FROM? EVIDENCE PLEASE. But if that is too much there are plenty of other ways to pay. YES, BUT THESE OTHER WAYS WILL ATTRACT A PREMIUM RATE AND WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE. YOU HAVE TO PRE REGISTER WITH A CHARGING DEVICE TO PAY THE AMOUNTS BEING QUOTED. Or you can get a bus, or train, afterall they will be cheaper and there will be more of them! OH NO THEY WONT, NOWHERE IN THE BID IS THERE ANY MENTION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT BEING CHEEPER, INN FACT THEY ARE HAVING TO CAP PRICE RISES FOR 2 TEARS AS THEY ARE EXPECTED TO RISE FAR ABOVE INFLATION RATE. Sweet Dreams R x Rosanne Rosa Carrs PLEASE ENSURE YOUR FACTS ARE RIGHT BEFORE DECIEVING PEOPLE ON A WEBSITE AGAIN.
Well said CityCntr - people need to ask more questions of those behind this TIF bid & their forum apologists. They don't have real answers to pertinent questions & there are a lot of meaningless 'proposals', 'promises' & 'projections' this half-baked nonsense is based on. It doesn't add up. Vote NO - you know it makes sense!
the map shown on the tv advert for congestion charge did not even show salford what nonesense is this