MP calms fears over C-charge

Adam Derbyshire

June 11, 2008

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ASHTON MP David Heyes has moved to calm fears motorists in Tameside will be hit hard by the congestion charge.

It comes after the government announced a £3bn package to improve public transport in Greater Manchester — but only if the controversial pay-as-you-drive scheme is introduced.

In return, Tameside will see the completion of the long-awaited Metrolink tram line to Ashton with a new transport interchange.

Under current proposals, drivers going to the Snipe or Crown Point North will pay a charge of £2 during morning rush hour and £1 in the evening.

Transport chiefs want to introduce a ‘tag and beacon’ system with motorists pre-paying for electronic windscreen tags.

Money would be automatically debited as a vehicle passes under sensors that would mark out two circular charging ‘rings’ around the city centre.

The inner ring will encompass the city centre, but crucially the outer ring will be just inside the M60 which cuts right through Tameside.

It means anyone crossing the M60 towards Manchester between 7.30am-9am will be charged £2, regardless of where they’re going. Returning through the sensors between 4-6.30pm will cost £1.

Mr Heyes said: "The massive investment which is to be made in our trams, trains and buses is long overdue but very welcome.

"It will transform the quality of travel for the nearly half of all households in the area who don’t have their own transport and will allow many more to switch to public transport. Most importantly it will guarantee the completion of Metrolink from Droylsden to Ashton town centre.

"There is no point in considering congestion charging until all the public transport improvements are in place and this is about five years away.

"We must also find a way of making sure that local journeys in and around the M60 corridor in areas like Droylsden and Ashton are exempt from any charge."

The proposals mean that commuters into Manchester city centre will pay an estimated £1,300-a-year.

Councillor John Bell, Tory leader, said: "In 2000, Labour gave a ‘no strings attached’ promise that that the Metrolink would be extended to Ashton.

"In 2004 they reneged on that promise. In 2005 they rejected a £25m bid for 120 yellow school buses for Greater Manchester.

"These initiatives alone would have taken 5.9m cars off our roads without the need for a congestion charge.

"This discriminatory con-charge will affect everybody; whether it’s the motorist travelling into the city centre, parents taking their children to school, shoppers visiting places like the Snipe or Crown Point North, or friends or relatives visiting the elderly and vulnerable."

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Rob Hardman - www.tamesidemart.co.uk, Denton (12/06/2008 at 00:17)

How can David Hayes calm fears over the charge when the full details of the scheme and how it will affect us have not yet been revealed? The only fair way of a consultation is to let us evaluate the plans in full and have a Greater Manchester wide referendum.

http://www.stopthecharge.co.uk/

NoOrder (12/06/2008 at 01:35)

£3bn investment? Eh, no. £1.4bn actually, with the rest being borrowed over 30 years leaving us, the taxpayers, with a £1.6bn DEBT to pay back.

Just four years ago we could have had the Metrolink expansion for £900m, plus 120 yellow school buses for £25. £925m to take 5.9m cars off the road WITHOUT the need for a con-charge. Whose being CONned now?

David Heyes says, "There is no point in considering congestion charging until all the public transport improvements are in place and this is about five years away."

What are you talking about Mr Heyes? Your Labour government hasn't give us a choice: NO con-charge = NO public transport improvements.

He then says, "We must also find a way of making sure that local journeys in and around the M60 corridor in areas like Droylsden and Ashton are exempt from any charge."

I know, Mr Heyes, I've got an idea. Why don't we exempt everybody from paying the charge; ie. let's bin this ridiculous idea now.

Dave N, Hyde (15/06/2008 at 21:58)

Peple have stop using the £2 & £1 pricing. This is NOT the case. These figures are baed upon a charge being levied now. The actual charge will be higher.

People will be paying double when this charge comes into effect.

Pentest 2, Hyde (16/06/2008 at 08:52)

How much more bull are these local MP's and councillors going to give us about this so called 'C' Charge ...Its just another means of taxing 'YOU' the motorist, whether it be for puposes of work, liesure, or shopping off the road, then giving you nothing more than a second rate transport system. Confront one of this officials face to face with the logical questions, and all you will get is a side step answer. Believe you me, it will effect each and everyone of Tameside and Greater Manchester's residence more than they think ...you hear the excuse ..."It won't effect me because i don't go into Manchester" dear people of Tamside, It will effect you, in one way or another, whether it be by means of higher cost due to the transportation of goods through the area, or through a trip to the shops in Denton or the Snipe retail park, just to mention two, you will have to cross the M60, for that privildge, you will get charge. Please people of Tameside, Greater Manchester, and surrounding districts, wake up and demand a referendum to get this Possible 'C' Charge kicked out. It will hit you, and hit you hard, in the already fast emptying pocket.

Robert Burns (16/06/2008 at 12:22)

When are people going to understand that all
politicians are employed by us the tax payer there are very few people who want to have a charge for driving into Manchester so why don't the politicians do what the people ,who they supposedly represent, want and stop spending money on stupid things, instead of helping our communities. Its just another con !!!!!

Snare Drum 54, Ashton-u-Lyne (16/06/2008 at 12:43)

The TAG and TRACK idea we were told, was not going to be implemented, but there it is for all to see, straight from the horses mouth. Of course the people of Tameside will be hit by the CON charge, and hard at that. David Hayes must think we are all stupid to believe a word he says on the subject, because he sure as hell treats us all as if we can't think for ourselves. I am hoping for some replies to my letter in this weeks Advertiser, or at least start getting some supporting letters from others, because unless others get more involved, this CON charge will go ahead, and by then, moaning, kicking and screaming will be to late to stop this highway robbery.

Pentest 2, Hyde (16/06/2008 at 17:50)

'Snare Drum'
You sure has he1l have my support on this 'CON' charge issue ...I'm with you all the way.
I just hope that the voting public of Tameside and Greater Manchester realise that the Local Councillors and MP's are trying to implement a motorist rip off charge.
They certainly aren't doing the job, that the local electorate voted them in for.
Spin,Spin,and more Spin. Roger Jones fell at the first opportunity, more will follow if they don't start listening to the people of Tameside and Greater Manchester.

Sir Reginald Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire (16/06/2008 at 20:45)

Thank you so much Mr Heyes for calming my fears about the charge. Now if only you could calm them about why we need a charge, why we need the Metro line to Ashton (footfall now must be at an all time low), who will pay the shortfall when revenues do not cover the cost of repaying the debt. Londons charge has risen to make it that they only now make a profit but they are not repaying a debt, just the running costs - and what is never mentioned is that the monies that they used to make on car parking has fallen as a direct result of the charge. What will happen when businesses open at 10 and close at 7 so as to avoid their staff and their customers not wanting to spend three quid extra - who get to use the £160,000 a piece Yellow busses that will not be needed 170 days a year?

Lady phoenix (17/06/2008 at 15:01)

When will these MPs & councillors realise that the public do not listen to them or trust them at all. The con charge is another tax on the easy prey motorist and nothing to do with congestion, most of which has been caused around Tameside by the so called 'traffic calming' bumps and white mark graffiti on our roads. Ashton will get the metrolink but what will Hyde & Denton get. Perhaps the Tsars of Tameside should be informed that the borough extends beyond Ashton. Do they not realise that people who work in Tameside will no longer visit the Snipe and Crown Point North after they finish work in case they get caught in the time zone tax. Working parents often need cars to get their children to school and if that school is across the boundary, they will have to pay. So it really isn't just about workers travelling into Manchester it will have an adverse effect on all. Another point, will the Tameside councillors be exempt from the con charge just as they appear to be 'exempt' from parking charges when they attend 'official duties'. All councillors should remember that they have been elected to serve the people of Tameside and certainly not to agree to a massive loan that will possibly end up being paid back by council tax payers.

NoOrder (17/06/2008 at 23:52)

DID YOU KNOW?...

Congestion in London has fallen by just EIGHT per cent since the introduction of the congestion charge five years ago?

There has also been, "...a sharp increase in congestion inside the central London charging zone," and there is, "...a longer-term ‘background’ trend of gradual increases to congestion."

Furthermore, traffic management programmes introduced with the congestion charge has, "...reduced the effective capacity of the road network to accommodate general vehicular traffic."

(Details as per Transport for London's Fifth Annual Report on the London Congestion Charge)

Rob Hardman - www.tamesidemart.co.uk, Denton (19/06/2008 at 09:25)

Is David Heyes able to tell us exactly how much of the £3bn will be spent on setting up the infrastructure to collect the con charge, and how much of the revenue generated will be swallowed up in admin costs? I am sick of hearing about the "£3bn investment in public transport" when it is clear a large proportion of the money will have to be used for the charge alone.

Rob Hardman - www.tamesidemart.co.uk, Denton (19/06/2008 at 09:27)

The Tameside MART website now has a Toll Poll on the homepage, asking wether a referendum is the only fair way to perform a public conultation. Go to www.tamesidemart.co.uk to vote, and pass it on to all your friends.

Rob Adlard (19/06/2008 at 11:21)

David Heyes may be feeling rather less calm when he considers that there will be a general election before the time scale he states of 5 years to introduce the charge. Whatever employment he then has, he will have retired long before the 30 year debt is paid back by local councils and council tax payers. His calmness may be replaced with anxiety when he considers that David Cameron has said that a Conservative government would deliver these transport improvements without the Toll Tax.

The charging plans are looking more crazy by the day, as motorists are diven off the roads by high taxes and fuel prices. Traffic levels are decreasing and the justification for the charge is evaporating.

It's a disgrace that Labour claim the only way to complete the Metrolink extensions is to introduce the Toll Tax. The previous Conservative government introduced and funded Metrolink and allocated the funds for the extension - funds that were then removed by this New Labour government. Do they really think people will feel grateful that instead of funding the long overdue Metrolink lines, they will now create such a long standing debt for all local residents, in order to compelte the project which began before they came to power?

tigger6 (19/06/2008 at 12:11)

I've tried travelling to work on public transport - no thanks!
Starting the day with a 20min walk in all weathers, travelling on overcrowded, overheated and smelly trains and buses, leaving home and hour earlier and getting home an hour later then having to do all my shopping at the weekend as I can't carry it home on the bus!
So I'll have no option but to pay the full charge for the last 2 years of my working life!
Oh, and if Tameside councils leader is so much in favour of the charge, why doesn't he consider implementing a charge to travel through Mottram instead of wanting to plough up the countryside for a bypass?? I wonder......

Snare Drum 54, Ashton-u-Lyne (19/06/2008 at 18:45)

A letter in this weeks Advertiser, stating support for the CON charge comes out with the usual pro charge drivel and how he has voted on line for the charge. With 90% against it, I can see he has a lot of support(NOT) and as usual has no facts to support his letter. Roger Jones(RIP) came out with a load of rubbish some time last year, but happily got shot down, as he couldn't back up his comments. Much of the facts that I and others have stated, have actually come from the GMC, from reading between the lines and using their own fact sheets. Strange how they have lied to us, when their own fact sheets tell a different story. It was one of their fact sheets that stated the phase 2 side of the charge, but they have kept tight lipped about admitting it since.

Sir Reginald Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire (23/06/2008 at 17:43)

Those of us with long memories can remember "Terry from Rochdale"

"Terry from Rochdale": "Terry is a self-employed van driver he makes several deliveries across Greater Manchester from 7am. When he is travelling into central Manchester he has to pay £2 when he passes the outer charge points and £1 on the inner charge points."

We found out that Terry was in fact an American model and now we find it will cost "Terry" double what they forcast (at todays prices)!

He also now finds that it costs him £2,500 more per year to work in Greater Manchester than Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham etc.

Wonder who will have the to pay the extra £50 a week. Any ideas Mr. Heyes?

Snare Drum 54, Ashton-u-Lyne (23/06/2008 at 18:57)

The charge will be capped at £10 per day!!!!! Well that is already double what we were told it would be. How many more lies are going to come to light before the people of Tameside will stand up and fight against this stealth tax?????

Sir Reginald Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire (24/06/2008 at 21:20)

Those Christians amongst us will be familiar with story of the Conversion of Paul on the Road to Damascus.

How about the Conversion of Richard on the Road to a Knighthood?

"Richard Leese, leader of Manchester city council, has weighed into the debate by saying congestion charging could be "extremely damaging" to the local economy.

Damaging

He said the council would block any moves to introduce tolls, saying charges should not be used to pay for a "Big Bang" expansion of tram routes."

That was said in January 2005 and reported in the Manchester Evening News at the time.

Rob Hardman - www.tamesidemart.co.uk, Denton (25/06/2008 at 14:53)

Is it going to be capped at £10 in todays prices, making the actual figure more like £18?

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