Disgusted by Manchesters Congestion Charge Proposal

pault123

Hi Guys,

The manchester congestion charge scheme finally has a website and tarif.

http://www.gmfuturetransport.co.uk/testimonials.php?caseID=1

This is going to cost me roughly £100 a month.

I urge anyone who feels strongly about this to let their views be known here

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Manccongestion/

and

http://www.gmfuturetransport.co.uk/opinions.php

All the money they make from this will go towards a £3 Billion improvement on public transport in manchester.


Great - so my 15-30 minute drive to work becomes a 3 bus change 45-60 minute ordeal. At least thats what they hope - by pricing us off the road we will have no option but to take the bus/train/tram.

Nothing could convince me away from the luxury of my car, and I would like to think many more motorists sick of getting overtaxed and penalised feel the same way.

Even if I was offered free public transport to work - the extra time and hassle will never appeal. I feel I pay enough as it is for the means to drive to my workplace and back. £100 extra a month on top of the already high citycentre parking is disgusting.

On one of the examples they suggest "change your working hours" so it doesnt fall within the 7-930 am or 4-630 am times. This is ridiculous!

If congestion was an issue for me and I disliked queing in traffic I would simply leave home earlier.

i can't help feeling this has already been decided upon though and like any other government plan or policy it doesnt matter how much opposition they face - congestion charging will be brought to manchester and then plowed out accross the rest of the UK whether we like it or not.

Paul

Phirefly

Gutted for you

A friend works for Capita who administer congestion charge and she says its going to be rolled out accross the UK over the next 4 years.

Its a viscious, evil robbery under a thin veil of eco nonsense.

derrick

pault123 wrote: »

All the money they make from this will go towards a £3 Billion improvement on public transport in manchester. Paul

Why should the motorist,(who already pays exorbitant taxes), have to fund the PUBLIC transport?

Markyt

Phirefly wrote: »

A friend works for Capita who administer congestion charge and she says its going to be rolled out accross the UK over the next 4 years.

Capita? Brilliant. They manage the tv licence datamess too. I can't see them managing a project this size with any degree of success. :T

dawsonchris

This is ridiculous as if we don't pay enough taxes, insurance, road tax.... need i go on!!

I will refuse to pay any charges to drive my car anywhere, when i use to drive in the U.K. i use to have to pay 95 pounds for 6 months road tax which is absurd.

The state of the roads in the UK are appalling, speed bumps every where, pot holes, need i mention speed cameras which are located every half a mile. And now they are thinking of charging us to drive to work....robbing basta*ds.

In California you don't need an M.O.T which usually costs an arm an a leg, lucky we have dad who hooks us up with cheap parts & labor. I pay 30 dollars for a smog test over (which lasts for 2 years) here it is a test to make sure that the car is blowing out clean emissions. I have to renew my title every year which is 60 dollars, unlike 160 gbp for road tax. My insurance is 200 dollars for six months, and gas is a hell of a lot cheaper than the U.K.!!!

U.K. = Rip off merchants.

I hhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaatttttttttteeeeeeeeeeeeeee the U.K.

You all know my feeling on this (congestion Charge) BLOODY RIDICULOUS!!!


Chris

derrick

dawsonchris wrote: »

and gas is a hell of a lot cheaper than the U.K.!!!

U.K. = Rip off merchants.

Yes but don't forget your gallon of "gas" is a smaller,(unusual for US), gallon than ours, by about 20% I think, still bloody expensive though!

U.K. = Rip off merchants. Agreed :mad:

black-saturn

I think it's about time they made car drivers cough up more. I think they should have a conjestion charge in every big city. I'm afraid if you want the luxury of your car you will have to pay for it. Have you ever thought though that the reason why public transport is so slow is because there are so many cars with one person stuck on the roads? if most of them now give up their car and go by public transport the roads will be a lot clearer and all who want to go to work in their car will get there faster.

dawsonchris

That is true,

I recently worked out the price the U.S. pays per gallon and conveted it to what it would cost in GBP the result........$10.00 per gallon, i currently pay $3.00 dollars per gallon.

And the yanks think that gas is expensive over here!! They should try living in England. Lol

Chris

Markyt

black-saturn wrote: »

Have you ever thought though that the reason why public transport is so slow is because there are so many cars with one person stuck on the roads?

My commute has certainly got worse since bus lanes were introduced - you'd get hundreds of cars down the same space in the times between buses.

And why a congestion charge anyway? If motorists are happy enough to sit in heavy traffic and take their time getting somewhere, why do anything about it? The motorists are certainly not asking for it to be changed, else they'd be using alternatives. Unless, of course, the 'congestion charge' is a total misnomer.

Markyt

black-saturn wrote: »

I'm afraid if you want the luxury of your car you will have to pay for it.

Good point. I currently pay no tax or VAT on fuel, or a yearly tax just to own the vehicle, or an insurance premium tax, or for a garage, maintenance and security.

No, hang on, thats wrong...

derrick

black-saturn wrote: »

I think it's about time they made car drivers cough up more. I think they should have a conjestion charge in every big city. I'm afraid if you want the luxury of your car you will have to pay for it. Have you ever thought though that the reason why public transport is so slow is because there are so many cars with one person stuck on the roads? if most of them now give up their car and go by public transport the roads will be a lot clearer and all who want to go to work in their car will get there faster.

Don't you think we pay more than enough now? £46 billion per year and only about £8 billion per year spent on roads, car drivers are paying more than their share already.

Public transport does not do enough for the public, how would shift workers get to work? most buses stop at 11 p.m.

What about shopping trips ,moving offspring about etc,etc.