The government has tried to force through the controversial Manchester congestion charge by threatening to withhold £1.5 billion of funding from the city if the system is not implemented.
Geoff Hoon, the transport secretary, said central government would not make investments to improve trams, trains and buses in Manchester unless its population voted ‘yes’ to the congestion charge in a referendum next month. “There is no Plan B,” Hoon told The Times. “If the vote is ‘no’ there will be no central government funding. The rules are very clear.”
Fellow Labour MP Graham Stringer - who represents Manchester Blackley - accused Mr Hoon of “bullying” the charge through. “It shows how worried they are about losing,” said Blackley.
Many of Manchester’s residents are opposed to the scheme, which would require motorists to pay up to £5 a day to enter the city.
Cars would be fitted with a tag and beacon system in what is being seen as a smaller-scale trial for national road tolling.
Hoon also announced that this government would be increasing financial incentives for any city that looked to introduce road pricing.
Cambridge, Bristol and Leeds are all known to be considering schemes in a bid to secure central government funding.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Re: C-charge gets a push
Says who? And what about those of us with businesses in the City centre. My staff need their cars to visit clients all around the North West. They often need to pick up papers and files from the office. Who do you think will end up paying all those £5 charges? My competitors outside the City will have an unfair advantage. What is the "congestion" charge supposed to cure? If I travel from the north to the south of Manchester through the City I travel 10 miles - if I have to go around the ring road it is 20 miles. How does that save petrol and the environment?
Another point not yet mentioned here is that absolutely NO information has yet been released as to precisely what we will be getting with "our" £1.5b. There are no costings, no expected revenues and just how are the government going ensure the transport providers do put on extra facilities. We are talking about profit making private entities here not quasi governmental sheep fodder. If a route is unprofitable transport will not be provided.
I could go on but what's the point ...............................
Re: C-charge gets a push
Have the Government/Council thought about the implications of shoppers abandoning Manchester, if the charges go ahead? No parking revenues, and business pulling out due to poor trade!! Just 2 things amongst many, that will happen.
Re: C-charge gets a push
Struggling to see what the fuss is about. Anyone who can name me a carrot shaped transport policy that has ever worked in the UK wins a special prize. Manchester is a congestion black spot and people need to be moved out of their cars and onto public transport - and the only policy that is likely to work is a stick. Even then, you might need to put a nail in the end of it such is our love affair with the automobile. There's no point investing in new trams and buses if you can't move the things because of car based congestion. I think rather than Labour being out of order, there's actually a refreshing sense of realpolitik to the whole thing.