Government Accused of Road Toll 'Bullying'
Threat to refuse public transport funding in Manchester if public refuse road tolls
Hoon in 'I love cars' mode
According to The Times newspaper Geoff Hoon, the Transport Secretary, said money for extra buses and, as well as a new tram system, would be withheld unless a majority of Greater Manchester’s 1.8million population voted ‘yes’ in next month’s road pricing referendum.
The comments were made in an interview with the newspaper and have been blasted by opponents of Manchester’s planned charging scheme. The proposals would mean that cars are fitted with electronic tags and set up with prepaid accounts.
Up to £5 a day would be deducted automatically from these accounts as they drive around the city on an inner and outer ring. The Manchester scheme is being seen as essential for paving the way for national road pricing and a ‘no’ vote could lead to a ten year delay.
Mr Hoon said without road pricing Manchester would get no funding. ‘There is no Plan B. I would not want people to be under any illusion about that,’ he said. Asked if Manchester would get even a small proportion of what it needed if it voted ‘no’, Mr Hoon said: ‘None whatsoever. If the vote is ‘no', there will be no central government funding. The rules are very clear.’
Graham Stringer, Labour MP for Manchester Blackley and a member of the Commons Transport Select Committee, said: ‘This is last-minute bullying by Mr Hoon. It shows how worried they are about losing.’
Nigel Humphries, spokesman for the Association of British Drivers, said: ‘The Government is holding a gun to Manchester's head. They know congestion charging is unpopular, but they are trying to introduce it by the back door by picking on a city which has been trying for years to get the money to expand its tram system.’
Make it cheaper than a car and punctual.
Then people will use public transport. When I travelled there from leeds i had no choice but to use the car. The Intercity tain went at 30mph on some parts of the line, its so decayed. Leeds to Manchester for FFS!
Do these people actually use public transport?
<b>Too much stick and no bloody carrot in this country.</b> Too much boarding school eh!
They're not even being seen to be making efforts to be 'green' anymore. In their desperate attempt to hold on to what little they have, the money-making/taxing/bleeding schemes are really starting to show now.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS HOPELESS AND OVERPRICED. SORT IT OUT AND PEOPLE WILL USE IT!!Lets just hope that the people of Manchester stand up to this bulling and say no to road pricing, this is one thing that needs to be fought toot and nail to get rid of it.
Matt
I am slightly confused however, the government is borrowing billions to help prop up the economy and create jobs etc, so why can`t some of this money be used for such worthwhile schemes, or is it only really going to prop up the snivel servants pension schemes??
ds and told them to do what we want, or they can f
In any other country we would condemm it but not here. Lets just have a huge riot!with this road pricing paying per mile of driving, does this mean we will get free petrol? or do we still need to pay a lot for petrol, then pay even more to drive on the roads? if paying per mile on this new scheme, is road tax free? or is this just going to be an added cost on top of all the other crap?
cheers for any reply anyone.
No we shouldn't, nor am I being too utopic. Lets tell the government to do what we say or move over and let someone else in who will.
We not asking for free Mars Bars or no taxation. We are saying no road pricing, better public transport.
Sort it Out!
Reducing road space,retimimg traffic lights, pinch points,bus and cycle lanes were all suggested as the best methods to get drivers onto public transport.
Improvement grants and other funding for Complying councils were to be made available.Blackmail IS the labour way of governing life in the UK.
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