# Manchester to get Congestion Charge.



## Balbi (Jun 8, 2008)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7441197.stm

Thoughts?


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## lenny101 (Jun 8, 2008)

I don't think they need it. Traffic ain't that bad apart from rush hour and public transport is almost non-existence in most parts of Greater Manchester.


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## moose (Jun 8, 2008)

I can see why the proposed inner ring might be voted in (although I disagree with it) but the outer ring is a nonsense. People coming from anywhere else would have to pay to get at the Trafford Centre, Old Trafford and other major locations within the M60, and I can't see that happening. 

Local councils are trying to say that it will be successful in Manchester because it has worked in Stockholm, Oslo, London and Singapore, however they all have an underground train network whilst Manchester does not.


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## lenny101 (Jun 8, 2008)

I hope they bring it and and Labour get voted out as a consequence. As much as I hate the Tories the length of time Labour has been in power in Manchester is undemocratic. They think they can do whatever the fuck they want.


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## The Black Hand (Jun 24, 2008)

moose said:


> I can see why the proposed inner ring might be voted in (although I disagree with it) but the outer ring is a nonsense. People coming from anywhere else would have to pay to get at the Trafford Centre, Old Trafford and other major locations within the M60, and I can't see that happening.
> 
> Local councils are trying to say that it will be successful in Manchester because it has worked in Stockholm, Oslo, London and Singapore, however they all have an underground train network whilst Manchester does not.



Good points. The problem is that the rich can do what they want when it comes in - all it does is make life harder and more expensive for the poor. This is clearly a class issue of access.


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## Oswaldtwistle (Jun 24, 2008)

Attica said:


> Good points. The problem is that the rich can do what they want when it comes in - all it does is make life harder and more expensive for the poor. This is clearly a class issue of access.



Agreed, especially with regards the outer ring. Manchester is *not* London, and simply does not have the same level of alternatives, especially outside the imediate central zone.

Also, unlike London, the evidence suggests people there do not want it.


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## TitanSound (Jun 24, 2008)

Oswaldtwistle said:


> Also, unlike London, the evidence suggests people there do not want it.



Since when did a small point like that matter to the fuckwits in charge?


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## The Black Hand (Jun 24, 2008)

TitanSound said:


> Since when did a small point like that matter to the fuckwits in charge?



Good point.


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## Oswaldtwistle (Jun 25, 2008)

Well we will soon know if people want it- a referendum has been called
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7472917.stm

From my brief observations today, public transport is nothing like as good as in London, two tram lines, one on a 12 minute interval and one on a 6 minute service.

The Salford Quays area (a big part of the outer section) is a mixture of high rise 'apartments' and sprawling offices with huge car parks, the odd warehouse and light industrial unit and not a corner shop in sight- very spread out and very car orientated.

About the only thing that can be said is cycle lane provision is excellent.


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## Fledgling (Jul 4, 2008)

Who's going to be consulted? A lot of people who don't live in the Greater Manchester area still drive in every day. They should be consulted about this as they will end up paying. 

Public transport around Manchester's a bit of a lottery. If you're near one of the train lines you an get in reasonably well. But a lot of satellite towns are not well served. The Metrolink's going to take ages to roll out fully (if ever) and getting across Manchester is hard.


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## JTG (Jul 4, 2008)

Fledgling said:


> Public transport around Manchester's a bit of a lottery. If you're near one of the train lines you an get in reasonably well. But a lot of satellite towns are not well served. The Metrolink's going to take ages to roll out fully (if ever) and getting across Manchester is hard.



from this perspective, surely it would make more sense to have a Manchester (and Bristol and wherever else) equivalent to Transport for London to ensure there's a proper joined up system serving the entire metropolitan area. Leaving it to the private sector results in some gaping holes in the system.


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## tangerinedream (Jul 17, 2008)

lenny101 said:


> I don't think they need it. Traffic ain't that bad apart from rush hour and public transport is almost non-existence in most parts of Greater Manchester.



Isn't part of bringing in the charge to fund better public transport? without raising tax or cutting other services how will the council improve transport provision? 

I'm all for it cos I don't drive. More people forced to think about whether they need to drive the better in my opinion, sure it'll piss some people off, but then it'll also put pressure on the authorities to increase the quality and provision of public transport.

Because Manchester doesn't need it now, doesn't mean it won't in 15 years and when their are new roads going in left right and centre people will be saying 'why didn't them fuckwits at the council see this coming?'


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## soulman (Jul 17, 2008)

The centre of Manchester is a nightmare to drive around. Pave it over and funding for more imaginative public transport.


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## Refused as fuck (Jul 17, 2008)

Close off the city centre to cars and have free buses and trams everywhere .


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## johnnymarrsbars (Aug 13, 2008)

JTG said:


> from this perspective, surely it would make more sense to have a Manchester (and Bristol and wherever else) equivalent to Transport for London to ensure there's a proper joined up system serving the entire metropolitan area. Leaving it to the private sector results in some gaping holes in the system.



^^^ this


if you live on the wilmslow road corridor then public transport in manchester is great. anywhere else you're fucked.


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## Mallard (Aug 13, 2008)

You'd have to be mad to drive in to central Manchester and rich to park there. A good idea but more public transport required.


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