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MP calms fears over C-charge
Adam Derbyshire11/ 6/2008
ASHTON MP David Heyes has moved to calm fears motorists in Tameside will be hit hard by the congestion charge.
It comes after the government announced a £3bn package to improve public transport in Greater Manchester — but only if the controversial pay-as-you-drive scheme is introduced.
In return, Tameside will see the completion of the long-awaited Metrolink tram line to Ashton with a new transport interchange.
Under current proposals, drivers going to the Snipe or Crown Point North will pay a charge of £2 during morning rush hour and £1 in the evening.
Transport chiefs want to introduce a ‘tag and beacon’ system with motorists pre-paying for electronic windscreen tags.
Money would be automatically debited as a vehicle passes under sensors that would mark out two circular charging ‘rings’ around the city centre.
The inner ring will encompass the city centre, but crucially the outer ring will be just inside the M60 which cuts right through Tameside.
It means anyone crossing the M60 towards Manchester between 7.30am-9am will be charged £2, regardless of where they’re going. Returning through the sensors between 4-6.30pm will cost £1.
Mr Heyes said: "The massive investment which is to be made in our trams, trains and buses is long overdue but very welcome.
"It will transform the quality of travel for the nearly half of all households in the area who don’t have their own transport and will allow many more to switch to public transport. Most importantly it will guarantee the completion of Metrolink from Droylsden to Ashton town centre.
"There is no point in considering congestion charging until all the public transport improvements are in place and this is about five years away.
"We must also find a way of making sure that local journeys in and around the M60 corridor in areas like Droylsden and Ashton are exempt from any charge."
The proposals mean that commuters into Manchester city centre will pay an estimated £1,300-a-year.
Councillor John Bell, Tory leader, said: "In 2000, Labour gave a ‘no strings attached’ promise that that the Metrolink would be extended to Ashton.
"In 2004 they reneged on that promise. In 2005 they rejected a £25m bid for 120 yellow school buses for Greater Manchester.
"These initiatives alone would have taken 5.9m cars off our roads without the need for a congestion charge.
"This discriminatory con-charge will affect everybody; whether it’s the motorist travelling into the city centre, parents taking their children to school, shoppers visiting places like the Snipe or Crown Point North, or friends or relatives visiting the elderly and vulnerable."
Most recent 2 of 19 user comments
How about the Conversion of Richard on the Road to a Knighthood?
"Richard Leese, leader of Manchester city council, has weighed into the debate by saying congestion charging could be "extremely damaging" to the local economy.
Damaging
He said the council would block any moves to introduce tolls, saying charges should not be used to pay for a "Big Bang" expansion of tram routes."
That was said in January 2005 and reported in the Manchester Evening News at the time.
24/06/2008 at 21:20
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