Manchester Congestion Charge rejected

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

fyonn

Active Member
Joined
May 9, 2007
Messages
342
Location
Manchester
Car
BMW 330d
BBC News article here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7778110.stm

apparently the voter figures were about 4 to 1 against. I voted against in the referendum even though I would very rarely get charged by it (I live in the centre and work outside the city, so I go against the flow of traffic).

so, what do people think?

dave
 
Good news, that means Bristols won't go ahead either:bannana:
 
Well, a 4 to 1 majority against is a pretty conclusive result. it'll be hard to spin that into a yes :)

I see this as one of the few occasions that the motorist has had an opportunity to vote about a new tax they'll be subject to, and the answer is overwhelming.

I saw an interview with some (I presume) manchester councillors who were saying that it was a terrible decision etc.etc. I'm sorry, but you are the elected representative of the people, you're supposed to carry out the will of the people. you asked the people, and they resoundingly said no, now stop moaning and go and sort things out.

dave
 
BBC News article here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7778110.stm

apparently the voter figures were about 4 to 1 against. I voted against in the referendum even though I would very rarely get charged by it (I live in the centre and work outside the city, so I go against the flow of traffic).

so, what do people think?

dave

Well done. I live just outside the Western Extension of the London one. And it's pain in the butt. I don't mind the central zone too much but the extension is ****. And it's going to scrapped - wha hey!!
 
excellent news - happy days to all in Manchester and the surrounding area!
 
Well, a 4 to 1 majority against is a pretty conclusive result. it'll be hard to spin that into a yes

Ken Livingston did just that for the Western Extension. And he is now history. He signed his own political death warrant.
 
Do you really think they did not work out ages ago this was a dead cert to be voted down? All turned into an expensive and futile pantomime.

Something will replace it soon. Oh and look, here it is

Commuters who drive to work 'face workplace parking levy

"Local councils will be able to impose "workplace parking levies" on spaces provided by employers under new rules proposed by ministers. The fees could reach £350 a year.

Companies are likely to bear the brunt of the costs, but the Department for Transport has left open the possibility of drivers themselves being made legally liable for the charge.

The new charging rules sparked fresh accusations yesterday that Labour was trying to squeeze more money out of motorists. The plans are also strongly opposed by businesses who fear they will hit companies particularly hard during the economic downturn.

Ministers and local officials are looking for ways to reduce the number of people driving into city-centres, to curb both congestion and pollution. They believe the workplace parking levy scheme could achieve both aims."


"The AA's president, Edmund King said: "The Government seem to be hedging their bets with this announcement on workplace parking," he said. "If the congestion charge in Manchester is defeated then perhaps they will push plan B."




http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...rive-to-work-face-workplace-parking-levy.html
 
Last edited:
great news.

I think this is also an indicator of public feeling towards this global warming nonesence.

4-1 against lol... and who said there is no debate on the subject?
 
Great.

Now all they need to do is to get rid of the joke that is the variable speed limit on the M25 which actually causes more congestion than anything else and we'll be on the road to better motoring.
 
Great.

Now all they need to do is to get rid of the joke that is the variable speed limit on the M25 which actually causes more congestion than anything else and we'll be on the road to better motoring.

Not sure how you work that one out there is plenty of evidence that it increases traffic flow and there have been enough studies done from all over the world that prove it, same is true of the one around Bimingham on the M42, Variable speed limits have transformed these roads. One of the big initiatives that has worked is on some stretches of the 2 lane A1 and M42 they limit any lorries over 7.5t to the inside lane only throughout the working day, traffic flow and average speeds have moved up massively time to implement this on more roads me thinks?
 
Excellent News!

Cambridge is pencilled in for Con charge also, I would be charged every day even driving away from town - And I live nearly 3miles out!
 
Now all they need to do is to get rid of the joke that is the variable speed limit on the M25 which actually causes more congestion than anything else and we'll be on the road to better motoring.

Actually, I think the variable speed limits do help the flow on the M25, apart from when you get 'wrong' limits posted, like 40mph all of a sudden, followed by de-restricted.

Many drivers tend to ignore the limit and I think the cameras must have a very high threshold (if they actually exist). Has anyone here had a ticket from one, coz I haven't!
 
Good!
 
Variable speeds get more traffic on the roads as cars travel closer together at lower speeds. More cars mean that the volume of traffic flow is increased but obviously not the speed, which is the subjective measure Alfie is referring to I think.
 
Variable speeds get more traffic on the roads as cars travel closer together at lower speeds. More cars mean that the volume of traffic flow is increased but obviously not the speed, which is the subjective measure Alfie is referring to I think.

well, to put my computer geek hat on, that's a Bandwidth vs Latency issue....

:)

dave
 
Not sure how you work that one out there is plenty of evidence that it increases traffic flow and there have been enough studies done from all over the world that prove it, same is true of the one around Bimingham on the M42, Variable speed limits have transformed these roads. One of the big initiatives that has worked is on some stretches of the 2 lane A1 and M42 they limit any lorries over 7.5t to the inside lane only throughout the working day, traffic flow and average speeds have moved up massively time to implement this on more roads me thinks?

Have to disagree here. Its simple physics called the Bernoulli effect. To get more of something through a small space the flow rate has to increase. Sorry but physics are physics. No anti motorist/left wing lobby group/report will convince me otherwise. Many have tried to defy the laws of physics and have failed. The M25 variable speed limit is just another of those failures. To further prove my point, It flowed a lot better when it was just three lanes without the variable speed limit. I should now, I use it alot and have done since the day it opened.

The only way it could be perceived to work is that people are so fed up of the crawling that they stay away. Now, down here on the most congested part of the M25 people dont stay away. Its chock a block most days. It crawls or is often stop start if not stationary.

Now, limiting lorries and coaches to the inside lane only is a good idea.

Edit; the bit about more cars closer together is ridiculous because since when have most people bothered about that? The cars travel just as close or as near as at 70 as they would at 50 or 40.
 
Last edited:
Have to disagree here. Its simple physics called the Bernoulli effect. To get more of something through a small space the flow rate has to increase.

I'm not argueing that the M25 is better or worse with the variable rate speed limits as I don't know, but on the topic of the bernoulli effect, it assumes that the particles involved are the same distance apart at slow speeds and fast speeds, which is not the case with traffic. at faster speeds, there is much more space between vehicles as there is at much slower speeds.

again, this is not saying you're right or wrong about the M25, but I'm not sure that bernoulli applies here...

dave
 
The main problem on our roads IMO lane discipline, You get someone in the middle lane doing 55 for 100 miles, Thats a rolling road block, every thing has to move into one lane to pass it, People need to start getting fines to stamp this out.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom