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Congestion Charging For Manchester

 
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mark occomore



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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Location: UK

PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:40 am    Post subject: Congestion Charging For Manchester Reply with quote

The Government looks set to allow congestion charging in Manchester - meaning that drivers will have to pay fees to enter or leave the city.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7442725.stm

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I guess this will be rolled out in big cities to stop people driving into town. Maybe they should introduce a Park N Ride like York does? At the end of the day Fuel prices need too come down..
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Helen May



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PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One thing for sure is that it will kill trade at the Trafford Centre which lies just inside the M60. Only thing would be to make a park and ride on the other side.

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mark occomore



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PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like one comment from an MP " It will be political suicide" Laughing

I guess Birmingham, Newcastle Upon Tyne and other cities will roll this out in the future.
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gfloyd



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PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mark occomore wrote:
I like one comment from an MP " It will be political suicide" Laughing


Ask Ken?
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RobbieM



Joined: 16 Nov 2007
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 9:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i don't think the Congestion Charge was Ken's downfall. I think it's had a positive effect on London's roads. I haven't driven in Central London during peak times since it was introduced and I know others that keep their drive into london to a minimum.

The problem with Ken is that he's been associated with an unpopular Prime Minister by virtue of the fact that he's in the same party. If he'd have remained an Independent the outcome might well have been different.

Anyhow, I predict that Boris will bring about no measurable benefit to the people of London. None whatever. And when the honeymoon period is (soon) over the knives will be drawn for him just like they were for Livingstone.

Trouble is that people just haven't got a clue what they want - they just know what they don't want. In that climate nobody can survive.
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John W



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Location: Warwickshire, UK

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 12:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Congestion Charging For Manchester Reply with quote

mark occomore wrote:
I guess this will be rolled out in big cities to stop people driving into town. Maybe they should introduce a Park N Ride like York does?

At the end of the day Fuel prices need too come down..


Eh?

What's your logic Mark?

The way I see it, if fuel prices comes down then

a) folk will use their cars more
b) folk will drive into town more
c) folk won't use Park'n'Ride


Yeah?
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RobbieM



Joined: 16 Nov 2007
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Mark is assuming that our towns and cities don't have Park 'n Ride schemes like York does, almost as if it's an idea that York's councillors came up with but which nobody else has heard of.
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mark occomore



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Congestion Charging For Manchester Reply with quote

John W wrote:
mark occomore wrote:


Eh?

What's your logic Mark?

The way I see it, if fuel prices comes down then

a) folk will use their cars more
b) folk will drive into town more
c) folk won't use Park'n'Ride


Yeah?



Why should we be paying over the odds to fill our cars? Cars are for going to and from work and on holidays. If people want to drive into towns then they should charge for the use for it. I think drivers like myself need to think about other means when you go into big city centres. I would use Park' n' Ride as it's a cheaper, less of a struggle fighting the traffic and finding a car parking space.
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RobbieM



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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 5:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Congestion Charging For Manchester Reply with quote

mark occomore wrote:
Why should we be paying over the odds to fill our cars?


Because the price of each barrel of crude oil is determined by demand in the marketplace perhaps? If demand increases for what is a finite resource, the price of that resource will inevitably rise. It's called market economics.

We just have to live with it, or find viable alternatives. And since we haven't bothered to do much in respect of the latter for the last 40 years the proverbial chickens are now coming home to roost.
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mark occomore



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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Congestion Charging For Manchester Reply with quote

RobbieM wrote:
mark occomore wrote:
Why should we be paying over the odds to fill our cars?


We just have to live with it, or find viable alternatives. And since we haven't bothered to do much in respect of the latter for the last 40 years the proverbial chickens are now coming home to roost.



It don't matter what price it is we will still pay it. It's like a Packet of fags we will still pay whatever price they are.
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RobbieM



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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Congestion Charging For Manchester Reply with quote

mark occomore wrote:
It don't matter what price it is we will still pay it. It's like a Packet of fags we will still pay whatever price they are.


Not me. I am not stupid enough to smoke! I don't care how much a packet of fags cost. But I have cut down on my use of my car and therefore of the fuel that goes in it.
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Cherskiy



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Location: near Amble, Northumberland

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mark occomore wrote:
....Newcastle Upon Tyne and other cities will roll this out in the future.


I don't think the city centre traders will like it much - not when the MetroCentre will be outside of any congestion zone, and offers free parking.
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John W



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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cherskiy wrote:
mark occomore wrote:
....Newcastle Upon Tyne and other cities will roll this out in the future.


I don't think the city centre traders will like it much - not when the MetroCentre will be outside of any congestion zone, and offers free parking.


That's right. Coventry's Park'n'ride started about 15 years ago, so for shoppers wanting to avoid that hassle, a canny developer bought a big chunk of Britsh Rail land 1 mile from the city centre, called it Central Six, it'll be ouside any future congestion charge area, it's got decent shops for clothes/fashion, hobbies, sport and the parking is free. They do employ wardens to make sure folks don't park while at work.

For shopping or going to the bank or the library, the short stay parking in Cov is only £1 an hour but I expect the long term is quite a lot per day, i.e. probably more than £10.
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RobbieM



Joined: 16 Nov 2007
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Location: Buckinghamshire, UK

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think it's fine to impose congestion charges on larger connurbations providing that there's a viable alternative infrastructure to move people in and out at relatively low cost. I used to drive into London every time (sometimes 3 or 4 times per week) up until about 8 years ago, but now I always catch the train. It works out much cheaper and quicker - and I don't have the cost of parking in central London either.

It's the same with Park 'n Ride schemes in most cities and large towns. If the alternatives are there then it's fine, but when they're not properly in place then any congestion charge is merely another stealth tax.
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