Manchester - No to congestion charge

[Spacecadet]

OK, "walk" was tongue in cheek, but cycle or train... easy from any of those places on the map. I live south of Stockport and have cycled in to the town centre on many occasions. It takes less than an hour. Or use the train or the tram or the bus, all very regular in rush hour. Crowded, yeah, but so are the roads. If you want the luxury of your own little royal box to sit in on the way to work then shut up and pay for it.

If public transport had had the investment it should have had over the years then there would be a choice of bus, train and tram from stockport into Manchester.

Like I said earlier, I don't drive into the city during the day. I might get caught out 3-5 times a year so the cost wouldn't effect me.
My vote was a rejection of the funding methods. The charging as proposed is to prop up the lack of investment made over the years

[dang65]

My vote was a rejection of the funding methods. The charging as proposed is to prop up the lack of investment made over the years

So you're saying that the entire population of Greater Manchester has just thrown its toys out of the pram?

[DimPrawn]

I propose a Congestion Charge tax. ie. a new tax on top of the Congestion Charge.

It would help pay for some public transport. Honest.

[Spacecadet]

So you're saying that the entire population of Greater Manchester has just thrown its toys out of the pram?

With any luck yes

[lilelvis2000]

The city which had the best transport system which I've experienced so far is Ottawa. Buses have separate high-speed roads and once on them the buses easily outpace cars. Its a public system so the busy routes subsidise the money losing ones. Buses radiate around several main stations - on the bus only roads - so no need to go to city centre to get where you are going. Each of these main station have massive car parks. And only one price to pay no matter how far you are going and how many buses you take.

In Manchester, and England in general, private bussing hasn't worked. Period. The tram in manchester is ancient, are two short at only two carriages and there arn't enough of them. If I want to get from Victoria to Piccadilly the tram costs something like £1.50(?) for a journey which takes 10 minutes by walking!

Has your local bus lowered it's fares after the fuel price drops? Mine hasn't..Still £1.90 for a 2.5 mile journey. I can take my car and park for free next to town centre, which might cost me £0.10 total.

Public systems in other countries are miles ahead of most systems in England. Something to be learnt there.

Too bad stagecoach, First et al are in bed with the government or I'd make a petition to renationalise them.

[scooby]

i live in rochdale and work on south side of Manchester (near the uni).

For me to use pubic transport means:

Walk half a mile
Get bus to town
get bus to train station or walk about 3/4mile
get train
cross manchester some how
bus to the office
at least 1.25hrs

to drive to work:

Car - 14miles
Parking £3
45mins on average

I voted no for obvious reasons. the proposed changes would have meant one less bus, possibly two, but still a lot of inconvenience. the proposed changes are also not secured and Rochdale was always last on the list.

Make the changes, then ask again, i might change my mind!

[Zara]

I voted No because I didn't agree with being blackmailed. It was vote Yes to the congestion charge and Yes to improving the transport infrastructure, or vote No to both. I voted against the premise. I also happen to live near the border of the proposed inner zone, which was far too large a zone.

So now we won't get any improvements, well we didn't get our Metrolink expansion. There's no guarantee that the gov/council would have kept their promises.

There's easy money to be found for wars, banks and propping up the economy but no money apparently to improve Manchester's public transport infrastructure.

[dang65]

i live in rochdale and work on south side of Manchester (near the uni).

Car - 14miles
Parking £3
45mins on average

Pretty much ideal cycle commute distance there.

[DimPrawn]

Pretty much ideal cycle commute distance there.

The car hater hath spoken.

How do you do your weekly shop on your bike?

[dang65]

The car hater hath spoken.

How do you do your weekly shop on your bike?

I've said loads of time before on here that I'm not a car hater, just a hater of people that whinge about having to pay for the privilege of owning and using a car.

I often use home delivery for my shopping, but I do own and use a car, yes. I just don't object to paying for it. In 26 years of working all over the country and abroad I've never routinely commuted by car, just used it on occasional days.

I'm seriously not criticising people for owning and using cars. It's their choice. Just accept the costs, same as you accept higher council taxes and water rates if you own a big house, or higher income tax if you earn more money. "Motorists" just whine. It's what they do. Road rage and road whine.