Manchester voters reject congestion charge

[T_i_B]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/7778110.stm

The people of Greater Manchester have voted against plans to introduce a congestion charge in the region. Nearly 2m people were asked if they supported a £2.8bn investment in regional transport, which included the peak-time charge. A majority of voters in all of the region's 10 boroughs voted against the controversial plans.

It means the application for government Transport Innovation Fund (TiF) cash will not now go ahead.

Those against the proposals claimed the charge would have been an unfair tax on motorists, while those in favour had maintained it was a chance to create the best public transport system in the UK.

Motorists would have paid to cross two charging rings at peak times. The outer ring roughly follows the M60 orbital motorway, while the inner ring surrounds Manchester city centre.

[Albus]

1. Bet they do it anyway

Or something very similar, with a different name.

[D-Notice]

2. As my dad said

"Northerners don't like paying for things".

I think this is really bad news - I know from experience that Manchester has appalling congestion.

I guess some things shouldn't be put to referenda.

[Albus]

3. How on Earth can you say that?

If the people of Manchester would rather have the congestion than the charge (and they have expressed that overwealmingly), then why should they have it imposed upon them?

What right has anyone to impose anything against the will of the people?

I think there should be referendums on everything.

[D-Notice]

4. Because

it's for their own good...

They need to be told that they should have to pay to drive within central Manchester in order to fund badly needed improvements to public transport.

Every so often you realise that people don't know what's good for them - they're either misinformed, stupid or greedy.

[Albus]

5. "It's for their own good"

Isn't that what we say about little children?

Dangerous attitude that, imo.

We know best.

Might as well suspend democracy now then.

[Wabbajack_]

7. The poor should be taxed off the road

Tax the rich to pay for public transport.

[T_i_B]

6. Well I can't say one way or the other

about whether congestion charging is right for Manchester as I haven't been there in so long! Maybe a more limited charging plan would have been more attractive?

The congestion charge in central London has been a fairly good policy, but it's not the right policy for everywhere in my opinion.