The Government is set to announce the introduction of congestion charge in Greater Manchester, including the creation of the largest charging zone yet created.
The proposals will incorporate two separate charging ‘rings’, the outer being Manchester’s orbital M60 motorway and the inner one being based on the city centre itself. Drivers will be issued with ‘tag & beacon’ transponders, and then charged each time they cross one of the boundaries.
Proposed charges for the scheme are £2 to cross the outer ring heading into the city during morning rush hour, another £1 to cross the inner ring and then an extra £1 to cross each ring heading out during the afternoon. In a significant change from London’s CC scheme, charging will only take place during peak periods: 7am-9.30am and 4pm-6.30pm.
The charging proposal is part of a bid being made to the Transport Innovation Fund, which will bring up to £3 billion on investment into improving public transport in Greater Manchester, including the creation of new Metrolink tram routes. The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, which is co-ordinating the bid, says that no charge will be introduced until improvements have been made to bus, tram and rail services.
The proposals are likely to face significant opposition. Stockport, Trafford and Bury councils are all opposing the proposals, while Bolton council has pledged to hold a local referendum on support for the changes.
Graham Stringer, a local Labour MP and the former leader of Manchester City Council, has also expressed serious doubts about the scheme, likening it to blackmail by central Government. In a recent Parliamentary debate he said:
“We have got £500 million towards a £1.5 billion tram scheme and the Government have said, “If you want the extra £1 billion and, incidentally, some more for buses and trains, you will, in practice, have to have a congestion charge.”
“I do not think that that is fair when one looks at the investment that is being made in London. The case for investing in the tram and train systems in Greater Manchester stands on its own, and a separate case would have to be made for introducing a congestion charge. Surprisingly, the figures produced by the urban traffic control unit in Manchester show that congestion in 11 of the 14 centres of Greater Manchester has fallen since 2001.”
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Re: Manchester set for congestion charge
On the regional news last night it was revealed that the money from the Government would not be made available without the public transport infrastructure being improved.
Scummy, the Trafford centre is inside the M60 outer ring road, but it may not be situated on one of the major roads into the centre, thereby bypassing the charge. Travelling on the M60 will not incur any charge at this stage.
Park and ride is a good alternative being used in Chester and is well used on the current tram network in Manchester. This can be extended quite easily. I use the Chester park and ride and it costs £1 all day!
It's all about how well it's planned and managed.
Re: Manchester set for congestion charge
Gridlocked or not, how many people actually "want" this charge to exist in their own city, that's what I want to know?
Re: Manchester set for congestion charge
Having lived in Manchester for the last 24 years I feel well placed in making the following assessment.
The current tram system only runs from North to South (Middelton to Altrincham) and efforts to raise further money to continue the development of it were knocked back by the Government, with the notion that the available funds would now be spent on the Olympic site!
The bus network is a total sham, a TV documentary some months ago highlighted that something akin to 35 to 40 separate bus companies are operating the Greater Manchester but they do not all recognise the all day bus pass!, many drivers do not speak English, therefore they cannot read road signs (highlighted by the recent events of a bus being driven by a non English speaking man who went under a bridge and nearly took the roof off the bus). In addition, people new to the city cannot ask if this bus goes to a certain point.
12 to 14 major routes into Manchester will be exposed to the charge, but this will only operate in the rush hour periods. If you are driving against the flow you will not be charged.
The report this morning was that the scheme will not be operational until 2013.
My problem with this is that in comparison to London, the public transport infrastructure is not there. The Government themselves have already knocked back the further development of the Tram system. All the local authorities have to agree for it to go ahead.
Having said that Manchester has the largest network of motorways around it in the UK and in the mornings they are generally gridlocked, so something has to be done. Sort out the public transport first, then consider the charging scheme, thereby giving commuters a viable alternative.