Introducing the Congestion Charge in Manchester

The congestion charge has been implemented by the British government to try and reduce traffic and its affect it has upon London. The congestion charge restricts access to London city centre unless a fee has been paid. A lot like a toll for using a bridge the commuter has to pay a small fee to be able to use the roads with in central London. The restricted access runs form 9 in the morning until 6 at night, secured by a set of high specification cameras developed to read number plates and check against a data base of paying commuters. You can pay weekly monthly or yearly to receive reductions in price. People who live with in the restriction zone do not have to pay. However will face increased council tax and charges if there mode of transport is not deemed as “green”.

There is a dispute on weather or not to bring this system into Manchester city centre. The congestion charge is said to be necessary to control the numbers of vehicles that are allowed into the, not only reducing traffic pollution but ensuring that roads are easily accessible by emergency vehicles and safe.

With global warming top of the agenda for the world powers, they have been asked to cut carbon emissions to try and slow down the warming of our planet. Restricting access to people who are prepared to pay will slice a city’s carbon foot print in half. Forcing many people on to public transport for there daily commute not only increasing profits for government controlled private sector transportation but allowing the general public to travel for reasonable prices.

Traveling by car is not the healthiest or cheapest mode of transport; it’s recommended that you should include your daily commute to work with your daily exercise routines. Walking to the bus stop or getting off the bus a stop early is actively promoted by the Labor governments who have released advertising campaigns to advice us not to use our cars as much. They are actively promoting the use services such as buses tubes trains and trams. Groups such as CAN (Clean Air for us Now) are for the congestion charging as they believe that we should be trying to slow down global warming.

“Clean air, safe streets, and a good quality of life for the people of Greater Manchester, now and in the future.”

http://www.cleanairnow.co.uk/

Not allowing people to travel through Manchester by car could seriously upset the people of the city and the surround suburbs. Introducing a congestion charging system could cause uproar among the community. Charging commuters to use cars on there daily journey to work could be seen as unfair as to have a car is expensive enough. For a car to be legally on the road driver has to pay for the cars initial cost, insurance for drivers, M. O.T to check the car is not danger to the driver or the public and Road tax for upkeep of the roads and signals. Incurring another daily charge on top of theses already expensive bills could make cars unaffordable for the average working person who wants to commute by car in to the city centre.

A telephone survey was given to some of Manchester public to calculate the peoples opinion on introducing the scheme to Manchester “Do you think congestion charging is a good idea?”: “Yes – 36%; No – 64%”

Is congestion charging a price worth paying to get the Government cash to improve public transport in the region ” including the expansion of the Metrolink to Ashton under Lyne, Oldham and Rochdale, as well as South Manchester and Manchester Airport?”: “Yes – 55%; No – 44%”

Congestion charge survey – Manchester. Manchester Evening News. M.E.N. Media

The charging zone is purposed to affect just central Manchester, which includes some of the busiest roads in the city. Motorist entering the area by the M60 will be charge L2 in the morning, and then L1.00 for those entering the city centre itself. In the evening, a further L1.00 will charged making a max payment of L5.00.

Payment can be made a number of ways when you see the Pp point in news against, online over or over the phone. The driver will have to set up a congestion charging account and when payment is made its credit to their account, then the charge will be deducted form the account balance. Visitors and tourist to Manchester without a pre-pay account can set up a direct debt or pay by phone or online.

“It’s ridiculous. We already pay sky-high road tax and petrol duty – now they want us to pay extra to use the roads as well. “

Manager of Inmans, a Didsbury taxi firm, http://www.southmanchesterreporter.co.uk/

Motor cyclists will also be included in the congestion charging. Unlike London where travel by motorcycle is not deemed to be congestion affecting Manchester will be including them for a lesser charge.

Public opinion obviously matters as it’s the general public who will have to pay these charges. Buses and other public services can be very expensive especially if the journey is over 50 miles. Improving on prices and services may convince commuters to travel by train or bus

“Only when we have a fully-integrated public transport network in south Manchester will commuters and other travelers be tempted from their cars and onto the trams and buses.”

“It is time the Government made public their intentions on Metro link in south Manchester.”

Manchester MP John Leech

By not already offering reliable transport services to the public Manchester is going to put 3 billion pounds of investment into the transport network. Justifying there introduction of congestion charging.

“A L3bn revolution in the city’s transport network.”

Alan Salter http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk 26/ 5/2007

The three billion pound investment will be funded primarily form congestion charging. Improvements will include better and more frequent buses trams and rail services. Fare reductions with the introduction of a prepay transport cards a lot like in London with an “Oyster” card.

There are 2.5 million people in Greater Manchester to affect even 50% of them with out a vote would be unfair. Living inside or just out side the charging zones will affect house prices schools and journey times. Only slight consultation with the public has been initiated with the use of telephone and high street surveys. This will Impact on every person who has a car and lives in Manchester, the m60 around Manchester will be very heavily congested as people will avoid using the city centre as a through route. The charge will also reduce shopping and tourist numbers. Businesses may lose out on trade especially those who rely on cars for their custom for example, car parks and petrol stations. The congestion charging in London has been criticized for causing substantial damage to business. Manchester’s Surrounding cities such as Leeds and Liverpool have not released any plans to introduce a congestion charging, Manchester could lose its economic advantage Low paid drivers will be forced off the roads and on to already extremely busy public transport system

It could be argued that if no action is taken against the overwhelming over crowding for cars in Manchester, the economic value of the city could be affected with polluted air and grid lock through out the city. Introducing this would mean those who decide to pay will benefit from fewer traffic jams and the rest of the city will be relived form congestions and pollution. Investment in transport system has been long awaited and the revenue generated for the congestion chagrining would be put straight back into the transport network.