National Alliance Against Tolls - Manchester Congestion Charge - 2008 News
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MANCHESTER TOLL A.K.A. MANCHESTER CONGESTION CHARGE - 2008 NEWS
Saturday 4 October 2008
Cornflake in the wind - BBC - "Kellogg's defends C-charge e-mail" MEN - "Kellog's C-charge email slammed".
Letter about subsidy to tranport companies - Bolton News - "No dividend from transport charges".
View from New Civil Engineer mag on Ruth Kelly quitting - "The Great Escape".
Friday 3 October 2008
Ruth to go completely - MEN - "Ruth Kelly to quit as MP".
Tolls save lives (135 of them) - Rochdale Online - "Congestion charge to 'save lives'".
More on FSB and hidden costs - MEN - "Pro-charge adverts `mislead voters'".
Thursday 2 October 2008
"Rochdale says 'No' to congestion charging" - Rochdale Online.
"Small-business group: C-charge has hidden costs" - Crain's.
Londoner leads the official pro Tolls lobby - PR Week - "Ex-TfL man resurfaces". From other sources it seems that he is the son of Glenda Jackson
Don't Worry - A Lib Dem MP who supports tolls is concerned about some of the side effects, but a "TIF spokesman" says that they will deal with the side effects by making streets one way, creating dead ends, and introducing parking permits for residents - Salford Advertiser.
Tourists love tolls - according to a body funded by Manchester Council - Crain's - "Visit Manchester: TIF bid needs access card".
Wednesday 1 October 2008
"Flagship Congestion Charge is sinking" - from Stockport Times.
Confirmed that Tories will keep tolls - New Civil Engineer - "Tories back down over TIF".
Tuesday 30 September 2008
What Eric says - Crain's - "Manchester will reject congestion charge, says Tory shadow minister".
What did Teresa say? - further to David Ottewell's blog yesterday - Rochdale Online - "Tory plans put town centre Metrolink in jeopardy".
Question from Driver - This letter from Ruth in Irlam was published yesterday in MEN - "I visited the congestion charge .. road show. I kept asking how we are going to be charged and how much we will have to pay for the tagging device, but no one could answer the question. How do you expect me to support something when I don't know how they are going to charge and how much we are supposed to pay for this device? After much badgering I was told the cost could be around £200 plus with an annual rental fee of perhaps another £50. Just where do these silly people get these figures from? Richard Leese might earn a huge salary but I don't and I certainly cannot afford current level of bus and train fares, never mind what they will cost what the charge comes in."
The charges quoted from the road show are on the high side for RFID transponders, which are sometimes given away free. Perhaps the charges assume that there will be satellite tracking?
Question from Tory MP - Community News - "Who will pay off 'toll tax' loans?". There is also this on Mr Brady's website.
Bit more on bosses back toll - Crain's - "NWBLT backing for c-charge 'nearly unanimous'". You may wonder who the NWBLT are. Having looked at their website the impression is that it is another of these groups with links to Government agencies, though one of the people leading on this issue is from BT (so now you know where your phone payments are going to), and according to Crain's the BT man is "chair of the Greater Manchester Commission for Economic Development, Employment & Skills, a new body set up by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities", i.e. the group that is promoting tolls. Another person quoted is from a Japanese owned glass maker.
PS Crain's yesterday also had a story (not online) which was also the basis for their editorial. The Pro-Manchester business group had a lunch meeting of 150 people on August 15th. There was a ballot on the toll plans. The Pro-Manchester board have now decided that they will not reveal what the result of the ballot was. Did the businessmen vote against the tolls and does not this fit in with the plans of the bureaucracy that runs the city?
See also "More Tosh" on the 25th September.
Monday 29 September 2008
Tory Shadow says Tolls will stay - MEN Blog - "Blogsclusive: Tories will accept c-charge vote".
More bosses back tolls - MEN Blog - "NWBLT throws weight behind TIF bid".
There's No business like No show business - MEN Blog - "C-Charge: who cares?". The numbers add up to 5,000 or 150 at each road show. The real numbers may be even less as some of these few may have been children after free balloons, but as the toll bosses have said that it is only "other" drivers who will pay, why should any drivers show up?
You can access the various toll ("TIF") reports that AGMA considered last Friday at - Files for AGMA 26th September meeting.
Sunday 28 September 2008
Stating the obvious? - MEN Blog - "C-Charge: keeping up with the Kellys". Ruth Kelly told the BBC on Tuesday that no final decision had been made, if she had told the MEN would they not have reported it as news?
The really obvious is that with Labour's internal troubles and the financial meltdown, there is nothing that is certain even if those "closely involved in negotiations, on either side" have told David that they don't "expect the rug to be pulled from under AGMA's feet".
Doesn't want to pay twice - Bolton News - "Road charge is an unjustified tax".
Another invasion of the body snatchers? - MEN - "Real people in c-charge posters".
They got mail - Crain's - "GMPTE: 80,000 written responses from TIF consultation".
Hospital Toll Poll - Rochdale Online - "Hospital Trust staff vote a resounding 'No' on TIF bid".
Friday 26 September 2008
Bit more on Tolls cheerleader - MEN - "Lis Phelan's new role championing c-charge".
Thursday 25 September 2008
"Yes Campaign names chairwoman" - Crain's.
Gordon still backs tolls plan - MEN - "Brown defends Kelly decision".
More tosh - MEN - "Pro.manchester wants C-charge facts". This seemingly independent group of bosses seem in fact to be firmly in the tolls camp. The front page of their site has this which seems to have been done in collaboration with the toll bosses - "Congestion charge - Your questions answered" pdf file
Wednesday 24 September 2008
Load of tosh - Manchester Confidential - "Boris wants Manchester’s money". This appears to be disinformation from the "Yes" campaign, the chances of the Labour Government giving the TIF money to Boris are less than zero.
Ruth to go - MEN - "Ruth Kelly to quit cabinet". There is a bit more on our main news page.
Some bits from yesterday's MEN - Views of small businesses and of Ruth Kelly.
A view - One of various reports on the confidence of one of the toll knights that he will sell tolls to the people; this report is from Jim Hancock who is the political editor for North West Tonight - En the Web - "Political Traffic".
Alternatives - Road Transport - "Manchester congestion charge alternatives mooted".
A bit on the worst show in town - Wigan Evening Post - "C-charge roadshow rolls into town".
Tuesday 23 September 2008
Government doubt - BBC - "Road charge vote 'not final say'".
It tolls for thee, not for others - one we missed from comment column in Crain's on the 1st - "The sutble art of avoiding the charge".
Small Business view - added to FSB website a week ago - "STOP THE CONGESTION CHARGE".
It tolls for thee, not for others - one we missed from comment column in Crain's on the 1st - "The sutble art of avoiding the charge".
Outside view - Lancashire Telegraph - "‘Congestion charge will hit Rossendale’ fear".
Survey details - On the 19th August, the MEN had an exclusive story giving details of the surveys that had been carried out by the authorities. The full reports (which as an appendix includes the script used by the polling firm) are now available (PDf files) - gmfuturetransport - Survey of 5,000 residents in July gmfuturetransport - Survey of 1,000 businesses in July / early August.
Monday 22 September 2008
Property effect, or not - Crain's - "C-charge "won't tempt buyers to inner city'".
Tolls boss gets award - MEN - "Sir Howard's top regeneration honour".
Friday 19 September 2008
Labour Party Conference demo - One demo is the Federation of Small Businesses against the c-charge plans - MEN - "Campaigners head for city".
Claim that the Con means more jobs - BBC - "Congestion charge jobs boost plan ".
Thursday 18 September 2008
"Experts" say "Yes" - Another accountancy group says tolls are good for you - MEN - "Campaign for TIF bid steps up a gear". It is the accountancy groups that allowed the financial house of cards to be built which Governments around the world are now trying to shore up with trillions of our money. Who would listen to these "experts" now?
Some Tameside councillors say "No" - Tameside Advertiser - "‘Denton gets nothing out of £3bn TIF cash’".
Wednesday 17 September 2008
Voters without a vote - Stockport Express - "Hundreds could miss chance to vote on congestion charge". What the MP and the paper omit to say is that Stockport and the other "No" Councils wanted to delay the vote so that the electoral register which Councils publish in December could be used, but the "Yes" councils refused.
Property developer says vote "Yes" for the sake of others - Bury Times - "'Think of the city' - yes campaign man".
Tuesday 16 September 2008
Cyclists fastest - MEN - "Cyclist wins commuter challenge". A novelty that cyclists were obeying the rules of the road, but in any case if it takes 43 minutes to drive 5 miles, then this probably says more about the congestion created by the councils than anything else. The lesson from London is that speeds are as slow now as they were before the charge was introduced in 2003.
Tracking - the FT says that "the highest-profile candidate" for the Government's tracking tests is Manchester - "Road pricing plan gathers speed".
Monday 15 September 2008
Spending "plan" - MEN - "The £1.5bn transport timetable". Strange that the toll boses can produce a spending timetable when thay have not answered a Freedom of Information request for details of what it is they are going to do and how much each scheme will cost.
Saturday 13 September 2008
"MPs and councillors should be putting their jobs on the line over this" - Bolton News - letter - "High price to pay for congestion charge".
Transport bosses to lobby at party conferences - Rochdale Online - "Public transport on agenda at party conferences".
Friday 12 September 2008
Bribe or blackmail? - Bolton News - letter - "Congestion charge like blackmail".
Bit more on new "Yes" group - Bolton News - "'Yes' to road charging group is launched".
Thursday 11 September 2008
New "Yes" group - MEN - "C-charge campaign kicks off". Where has "Clean Air Now" gone?
Wobbles - Oldham Advertiser - "Bid to move C-Charge boundary".
Wednesday 10 September 2008
More tolls selling - Bolton News 9th - "Yellow bus is 'future' of school run" Rochdale Online 8th - "Council leader urges people to vote in C-charge referendum" Bolton News 6th - "Transport deal cannot be split into pieces" Bolton News 4th - "Transport cash is far from a bribe".
Hauliers and the toll - from Roadtransport.com "Keep up the Manchester CC fight, says RHA" 3rd "HGVs will have to pay Manchester congestion charge" 2nd.
Labour MP opposes toll - Tameside Advertiser 3rd - "MP in c-charge rebellion".
Other stories - Bolton News 8th - "Volunteer groups assess congestion charge impact" Manchester Confidential 3rd - "Building sites to become car parks" includes comments.
Monday 1 September 2008
Drivers stuck in jams - MEN - "Drivers in a jam '10 minutes a day'". The story says that 70 per cent of drivers are stuck in jams each day - Is that why the authorities wants to bring in road tolls which it is claimed will only affect 10 per cent of drivers?
Driving schools affected - Crain's - "Toll "will cost driving schools up to £600k".
Saturday 30 August 2008
"Referendum" date set - The AGMA meeting on Friday decided that the local poll voting forms will be sent out at the beginning of December with a closing date of the 11th of the month for their return. The councils who opppose tolls had suggested that the poll should take place in Januray or February - BBC - "Date set for C-charge referendum" MEN - "Date set for c-charge vote".
Thursday 28 August 2008
Border troubles - South Manchester Reporter - "Road toll will 'split communities in half'".
Bit more on Tolls survey - Bury Times - "Give your view on congestion charge" Tameside Advertiser - "‘Yes’ to C-charge but by tiny majority".
Wednesday 27 August 2008
Price no object if tolls are paying for it - Bolton News - "£25m 'too much' for interchange".
Tuesday 26 August 2008
"Referendum" for businesses - call from Chamber of Commerce who back the tolls plan - MEN - "'Give commerce say on charging'" David Ottewell Blog - "Congestion charge: a referendum for business?" Crain's - "AGMA shoots down call for business vote on congestion charge".
Another story on falling traffic - MEN - "Fuel costs ease m-way jams".
Effect of toll on employment - legal view - Crain's - "C-charge dodgers can't make case for flexible working".
"On the Street and Off the Cuff" - includes two c-charge items - Crain's.
Bit more on "consultation" - Bury Times - "Have your say on congestion charge".
Saturday 23 August 2008
Business No to tolls survey - MEN - "C-charge poll: The FULL result" (there are more details of the surveys if you click on the link within the story to David Ottewell's blog) Crain's - "Poll: Businesses not behind TIF package". It seems that the authorities decided to leak the Yes results before the No ones. Though their reply to our Freedom of Information Act request was - "It may take up to 20 working days for the Council to consider your request and to provide a formal response. If this timescale needs to be extended to consider an exemption you will be notified and kept informed." Perhaps we should have asked the MEN and Crain's where they got their information from?
"Community Awareness" - a new name for tolls selling - Rochdale Online - "Bid to win congestion charge campaign".
Thursday 21 August 2008
Bit more on Tracking trials - According to Commercial Motor the DfT told them that it "had appointed four IT suppliers to use Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for work on proposals for local congestion charging schemes, including the current scheme in Manchester" - Road Transport.com.
Bit more on the "secret" poll saying that People will vote for tolls - Oldham Advertiser - "Oldhamers ‘will vote for congestion charge’".
Wednesday 20 August 2008
Bit more on People will vote for tolls - Wigan Evening Post - "Wiganers lead support for C-charge" Rochdale Online - "Survey suggests Rochdale set to agree to Congestion Charge!". Yesterday we put in a Freedom of Information Act request for the information that has been selectively given to the press - we wonder whether we will get the details this side of the toll poll?
Tuesday 19 August 2008
More of Sir Howard attacking small businesses who said no - Rochdale Online - "Congestion-charge boss hits out at business group".
People will vote for tolls - MEN - "53pc 'support for road charge'". We wonder who it was that paid for this "secret" poll of 5,000 people - could it be the GMPTA? We also wonder when this poll was carried out.
The MEN say that their own polls give the same result as the "secret" one, though on the 27th June the BBC published the result of a poll that they had done which showed 62% of the 1,000 people surveyed were opposed to the scheme. On the 8th August the Wigan Evening Post also published results of a survey they had done which showed that 78% opposed the plans. If the latest figures are correct it seems that either the toll bosses have had a very successful spin campaign or that the people who asked the questions in the latest survey were working to a script designed to get the "right" answers.
PS David Ottewell in his Blog gives some of the figures including graphs presumably from the authorities - MEN - "C-charge poll data: exclusive".
Transport authorities to spend another £2 million on spin - How Do - "GMPTE looks to recruit agencies for £2m roster ahead of congestion charge plans".
Monday 18 August 2008
Letter from Wigan Independent councillor - Wigan Evening Post - "Effort to counter C-charge propaganda welcome".
Tracking trials - MEN - "C-charge: Tech trials go ahead". They have missed Manchester from the trials. Who do they think they are kidding?
David Ottewell got a quote from the DfT denying that they have any plans for road pricing - MEN Blog - "National road pricing: green light, red light...". Is this April Fool?
Saturday 16 August 2008
More of the same - Bury Times - "Congestion charge: 90 per cent won't pay".
Friday 15 August 2008
Sir Howard attacks small businesses who said no - MEN - "Sir Howard's disappointment at FSB".
Wednesday 13 August 2008
Small businesses say no - MEN - "FSB's opposition to C-Charge". This will not be welcome news for the Lords and knights of tolls as they know that it will be difficult to wield their influence over these businesses.
Tuesday 12 August 2008
Freedom of Information - An FoI request from David Ottewell refused - MEN - "Information highway: closed to oncoming traffic". A strange game Freedom of Information and one that the authorities are expert at.
Over a year ago we made a Freedom of Information Act request to the Government, as we wanted to see the TIF submission. The request was refused and we are still waiting to hear the reults of our appeal to the Information Commissioner. We were therefore surprised when on the 31st July, the MEN had a story saying that the GMPTA had released the information and implying that it was because of a Freedom of Information Act request. We asked the GMPTA which organisation had made the request and when the information was released. We got an answer today, which was that there had not been a request. Oddly we are still waiting to hear the results of our appeal against the Government refusal to release the information which has apparently in the meantime been released by the GMPTA. Or has it? Because at the moment we don't really know whether some part of the submission has been held back.
We also have another FoI request which was made at the end of June this year where we asked for details of the schemes that were in the DfT TIF approval letter sent in June to Lord Smith and Sir Howard. So far all that has happened is that the DfT have said that they need more time to consider whether to release the details or not.
Go by cab - MEN - "Council's`£1m-a-year taxi bill'". We thought that the taxis would not have to pay the tolls because the Councils realised that cab drivers are well organised and militant, but it seems that the councils may also be one of the cab firms best customers, particularly if you add in the taxi bills for the other nine councils and all the quangos.
Traffic going in circles - MEN - "Slowest traffic outside London". One odd thing about this story is that the MEN and the other toll advocates seem to have access to figures that are so "new" that they have not been published by the DfT. But if the report is accurate it is also odd that they draw attention to London having the slowest traffic when it introduced the Con in 2003.
Lord Smith complaining again - MEN - "Proposed business rate increase irks C-charge backers".
Monday 11 August 2008
Don't worry, it will be the other driver who has to pay - MEN - "C-charge: Only 10% will pay". Lord Smith of Tolls talks about "Unscrupulous critics", that's odd we thought it was them who were spending millions of our money on their spin campaign. People will not believe that the authorities are going to be spending billions but it is only the other gal and guy who will get the bill.
Fliers back road tolls - MEN - "Aviation players back c-charge". Generally those connected with the airline and airport industry don't like tolls, so this enthusiasm to back Manchester's road tolls plan will not be unconnected with the fact that the authorities own and control the airport.
Friday 8 August 2008
Survey - Carried out for the Wigan Evening Post - "Motorists slam congestion charge" (click on the next page link to see the survey results). Sir Howard says - "Any survey which asks 'Do you support congestion charging' is bound to generate a negative response." Very astute of him, no doubt as the main advocate of the plan he will do his best to try and get a different question on tne ballot paper, perhaps "Are bananas yellow?". If you look at the answers to the individual questions, which show the effects on shopping and work, it makes you wonder why any business would be so foolhardy as to back the plans.
The Lancashire Evening Post did a similar survey - "Congestion charge plan proves unpopular".
Stockport views - Yesterday's Stockport Express had its regular section on views of the three loacl party leaders. This week two of them wrote about the Big Con. The Lib Dem and Council Leader - Dave Goddard - referred to the proposed ballot of Greater Manchester residents and said that "I will stand by - and support at AGMA - the decision of the people of Stockport" and pointed out that Stockport had already had its own survey of opinion, which showed that most people and businesses were against the charge.
Philip Harding, the Labour leader said that the TIF bid "is dead in the water". He said that he opposes it because Stockport would see little benefit, and that Stockport might be landed with a lot of debt as he doubted whether the scheme would make a profit. He also said that "now is not the time to ask people to pay more to travel to work".
Thursday 7 August 2008
Déjà vu - the MEN story from Monday again - South Manchester Reporter - "C-Charge is good for your health". The story says that "every piece" of "independent" research shows how wonderful the tolls would be, presumably "independent" means favouring tolls.
Much ado - GMMG has come up with a few other ways of paying for transport spending and angered the tollers - MEN - "Congestion charge row worsens".
Wednesday 6 August 2008
"Tolls are good for you" report now available - United City - "Congestion Charging, Transport Improvements and Manchester" pdf file.
PS It has been pointed out that someone with the same name as the report's author stood as a Labour party candidate in this May's local election in Manchester - and lost.
Toll pushers complain about their propaganda being compared with Nazis - Stockport Express - "Nazi comment is 'unacceptable'".
What! No free lollipops and balloons? - MEN - "Road charge roadshow under way".
Monday 4 August 2008
Wigan Tory complains about gift vouchers - Wigan Evening Post - "Councillor angry at £30 voucher offer". The really strange thing is that they were apparently encouraging a toll opponent to attend a meeting, or are those toll opponents who attend never seen again!!!!
Tolls are good for you - A lecturer in urban history has produced a "research" paper for the toll advocates which says that tolls will be great for Manchester - MEN - "C-charge 'good for us'".
Sunday 3 August 2008
More plugs - Perhaps the toll advocates don't need their multi million advertising budget as many of the papers seem to be giving free space to Sir Howard - Northwich Guardian - "Congestion charge could benefit mid Cheshire railways".
Saturday 2 August 2008
New Forum - The main MART website has been having a makeover, part of this is a discussion forum which was launched this week - MART Forum.
More selling the toll - At Rochdale it seems that it takes "up to" an hour to travel 5 miles. The answer is not better roads and roads management, it is tolls - Rochdale Observer - "Five miles takes 1 hour".
Friday 1 August 2008
Congestion confusion - Bolton News - "Congestion charge would not affect 50pc of drivers" Bury Times - "Council leader backs c-charge referendum" Best quote is from Sir Richard "very few .. will ever pay" tolls.
Quangos back tolls - One advantage that the Government and authorities have is that they fund and control various agencies that can give the misleading impression that they are independent - MEN - "Metrolink's '3,200 new jobs'" England's North West - "Traffic figures 'support case for c-charge'".
Thursday 31 July 2008
Tolls boss says "I am in favour of a referendum and have been all along" - Salford Advertiser - "Referendum to come at a cost?". He certainly kept that secret well! Though this will not be a fair referendum, but a poll with the people subjected to a massive sales campaign funded by the taxpayer.
Toll misses most of the congestion - MEN - "Charge to miss key congestion". One odd thing about this story is that for the past year we have been seeking a copy of the TIF submission, we were refused and our appeal is with the information Commissioner. We have still not seen anything but this story says that the info "has been released under the Freedom of Information act" It seems that the information is now on the GMPTA website and that the MEN have had access to it for long enough to research this story.
Station for sale, but don't ask the price - Oldham Advertiser - "It's in your hands". The spin bosses seem to be succeeding in giving the idea that the proposed poll will be fair. This story says that "the Electoral Reform Society is being commissioned to conduct the referendum and to approve the question that will be asked." This is wrong. It is not a referendum and the Electoral Reform Society will not approve the question, all that will happen is that their commercial arm (Electoral Reform Services) will send out the poll papers and do the counting.
Wednesday 30 July 2008
Complaint by ousted tolls boss - Manchester Evening News - "Ex-transport boss quizzed by police".
Views of Tolls Lord - Wigan Evening News - "Poor are hit hardest". Though Lord Smith is a big tolls fan he ressures voters that there are "no plans to introduce charging in Wigan or anywhere else for that matter". This is very reassuring, not only for people in his own bailiwick, but for all those people in Greater Manchester who mistakenly thought that there were plans for c-charges!
Rochdale and the Poll - selling the toll - Rochdale Observer - "Referendum can put brakes on congestion toll", and sceptical - Rochdale Online - "66.5% of Rochdale Borough has access to a car".
Tuesday 29 July 2008
"Independent" business view - MEN - "Chamber view: Undecided on c-charge". The Chamber says it "is not part of the council, GMPTE or Greater Manchester Future Transport". Quite correct, but many people will have been confused because over the last year the Chamber apparatus has been acting as if it was an integral part of the tolls sales team.
Tolls Boss to send out weekly "consultation" emails - Rochdale Online - "Bernstein launches weekly TIF bid email bulletins".
Monday 28 July 2008
Facebook advertising and groups - Crain's - "More than 20,000 join Facebook c-charge groups".
Saturday 26 July 2008
More on Toll Poll - MEN - "Campaigners gear up for vote" Wigan Evening News - "Congestion charge voting agreed" Crain's - "AGMA to hold referendum on TIF package". Note that the WEP's reference to "the first time the whole of Greater Manchester has voted in a single referendum since the 1975 "yes" vote to stay in the European Community" is not correct as this will not be a referendum but a local poll. The difference is not just in the name as a referendum has to be fair and binding, but there are no rules for the conduct of a local poll.
Friday 25 July 2008
Reddish MP complains that "Referendum will produce 'no' vote" - Stockport Express - "Willson: C-charge is flawed". As the people in his own area are opposed to road tolls, it is odd that he wants their wishes to be ignored.
AGMA meeting today on Toll Poll - BBC - "Public to decide C-charge future" Oldham Advertiser - "C-charge: public to vote" BBC - "Public to decide on C-charge" video clip.
The AGMA decision was that a "referendum" was agreed in principle but the wording of the question and many other matters were deferred for consideration at another AGMA meeting.
The Toll Poll will be a postal one with the voting papers going out about the end of November and the final deadline for return about mid December with the result being announced very soon after.
As well as getting an overall Greater Manchester wide majority in the Toll Poll, it was agreed that there should be a further hurdle of individual borough counts with the people in at least seven out of the ten councils needing to vote "yes". This was put forward by Sue Williams, the Tory Leader of Trafford Council and seconded by Dave Goddard, the Lib Dem Leader of Stockport Council.
The NAAT put out this press release -
Any sort of vote is considerably better than the scheme being bulldozed
through by the authorities. But what will take place is a Section 116 "local
poll". These polls are not subject to any rules and it means that the
authorities can continue to spend millions on their promotion campaign. It
is completely misleading for them to give the impression that this will be a
fair and unbiased referendum with both sides being treated the same, though
we expect that as in Edinburgh the majority of people will see through the
glossy brochures from the authorities and the TV ads.
The condition that the result of the Toll Poll will be mainly based on a
Greater Manchester wide count, is a device to force the people of Bury,
Stockport and Trafford to accept tolls on their roads. It may be that the
people of all ten districts will vote the same way in the Toll Poll, but if
not then it will be very strange for a district to ignore the vote of its
own residents.
Report before the meeting - MEN - "Public to decide C-charge future". There was a report on BBC but irt was revised after the meeting.
Ex Top Gear man says No - MEN - "Willson: C-charge is flawed".
Thursday 24 July 2008
Rochdale Vote - Rochdale Labour wanted a fundamental review of the road tolls scheme, but at a Council meeting last night their proposal was defeated by the ruling Lib Dems. The Tories seem to have sided with the Lib Dems, though the Tories say that they want a district by district "referendum" - Rochdale Online - "Opposition to congestion charging crumbles at Council meeting".
More selling the Con - South Manchester Reporter - "Future mapped out".
More "businesses" join the trolls - One of these "businesses" is the "Central Manchester and Manchester Children’s University Hospitals NHS Trust". They are of course funded by the taxpayer and you would think that they had better things to do, but it seems not - Crain's - "PZ Cussons backs congestion charging plans".
Fuel prices plummet - Not really, but it seems that the tolls boss believes that the recent small reduction in fuel prices heralds a new era where drivers will be rushing out on to the streets and driving round till they drop with exhaustion - Crain's - "Falling fuel prices ‘bad news for C-charge opponents’".
"C-charge: Lewis ups the ante" - David Ottewell Blog. An odd little piece, perhaps meant to make Bury, Stockport and Trafford feel a bit sheepish if they don't follow the orders from Sir Richard.
Question? - Manchester Confidential - "Congestion charging: white elephant or utopia?". The real question is how do the trolls manage to get so much of their views printed as if they are impartial. How could anyone do research into the London Con and yet apparently not know that the traffic is as slow as it ever was?
Zombie scheme - Stockport Express - "Congestion is 'dead in the water' claim". Let's hope that the Stockport Lib Dem Leader does not yield to pressure to let other districts determine whether Stockport has road tolls.
"Group says public vote on TIF bid may not be binding" - Crain's. Our main concern is not that the vote will not be binding. It is that the poll is likly to be biased and unfair, and it is just a device to force all the Councils to take part in the scheme.
Tuesday 22 July 2008
A bit of reeducation - MEN - "IoD hears from Sir Howard on c-charge".
Monday 21 July 2008
Traffic increasing - That's what the Manchester trolls would like you to believe. Though recently it is not what they have been saying. They have possibly stopped saying it, because it is easier to mislead people in other ways. It is difficult to claim that traffic is increasing when almost every report shows that it is not, in particular their own people are telling them it ain't so. The figures are in their Greater Manchester Transportation Unit figures which shows that traffic has been flat or declining since 1997 (the year that they started collecting the main centre traffic figures) - 2007 Report published in June 2008 showing traffic entering the main centres 2007 Report published in June 2008 showing traffic on the different types of road. There is one exception to this trend which is motorways, where traffic is up.
So why does traffic seem to be slower, if it is down except on the motorways? The answer is that the people who want to toll drivers are the same ones who do their damnedst to slow and stop traffic.
Impartial? -
One MEN reader wrote to the Editor saying - "I currently buy your paper every day mainly for the soccer but if you continue to support something that will harm your readers then I will stop reading it and ask others to boycott it."
Surprisingly there was an answer which included - "... you can be sure that the paper will continue to report impartially both sides of the argument." The rest of the letter reads as if it was a tolls sales promotion and ends up saying that the paper supports a referendum providing that "the result is binding on all 10 authorities". It is difficult to distinguish between what the MEN says and what comes out from Sir Howard and Sir Richard. If the MEN thinks that this is being impartial, then perhaps the MEN Editor should look up the definition in a dictionary - "not supporting any of the sides involved in an argument".
"Epidemic of u-turns" - Crain's - "On the Street and Off the Cuff".
Flying One - Sir Richard goes to Stockholm, (is Singapore next?) - MEN - "Council leader has planes bill of £3,400".
Flying Two - Airport boss thinks that Con is a good idea - Crain's - "Other Views: Airport sale would be short-sighted". A story in another paper today says that this boss is favourite to be the new boss of the North West Development Agency - a Government Quango.
Saturday 19 July 2008
Hanging - Bury Times - "Railway revamp hangs on congestion vote". How about better hospitals, schools, the secret to eternal life or whatever hanging on more money being taken from drivers?
Another demo - Maria who two weeks ago was annoying Sir Richard with her demonstration outside the Town Hall, was down at Westminster this week to see her MP and to hold another demonstration. This was covered in the Prestwich Advertiser but has been omitted from their website.
Friday 18 July 2008
Traffic figures - MEN - "Traffic levels NOT soaring". Interesting that the MEN should dig this out and publish it. Though it only confirms previous indications that traffic has not been increasing in recent years. Congestion is mainly caused by the Councils war on drivers.
Independent? - Crain's - "Businesses to help choose TIF regulator". The odds are that any regulator will just be a stooge.
It's the Chief Tolls Salesman again - Lancashire Evening Post - "Congestion charging to hit Lancashire drivers".
Thursday 17 July 2008
Tag problems - Salford Advertiser - "London rejected tag scheme". What this story does not reveal is that tags are not completely reliable, with the result that drivers end up with big fines for not paying.
"Prescott backs congestion charge" - Rochdale Online. This may be one recommendation that the toll bosses did not want.
Hauliers do not want toll at any price - Road Transport - "Manchester c-charge for HGVs".
The Toll Tax Boss again - Middleton Guardian - "The Toll Tax debate".
Wednesday 16 July 2008
"Low paid will benefit" - According to Lord Smith head of the Troll Ring - Crain's - "AGMA: C-charge will help low-paid workers". One of the benefits will be a 20 per cent discount off the new toll tax - we wonder who pays the other 80 per cent? Though for some workers there may not be a problem, as the new tax may mean that they only have to travel to the nearest dole office.
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Chiefs parking parked - MEN - "U-turn over council car park". Turn and turn again later? Whatever the answer to that question, it is already clear that the drivers who are to be forced off the road do not include the council bosses.
Q and A -
Question to the transport bosses from Simone-
I saw the new TV advertisement for the congestion tax with Chris Bisson - he happened to be getting out of a car stuck in a traffic jam. Where is the balance in that? Who is paying for these shameful adverts?
Why doesn't it show Chris walking two miles to his nearest tramstop in the pouring rain having missed seeing his kids because he had to get up 1 hour earlier to get to work? Maybe they could have shown a single woman weighed down with bags coming from the Trafford Centre, getting on a bus to Wigan? I'm amazed his management want him to be associated with such a politically sensitive advert.
Are some counter ads from toll opponents going to be commissioned or do we just get (not even subtle) political propaganda masquerading as public information?
This isn't consultation it's shameful biased propaganda.
My reasons for opposing this shameful piece of proposed legislation are:
# It is an unacceptable infringement on my right to use the highway.(David Davies please note)
# It is another step to Big Brother as my personal car movements will be monitored (David Davies please note)
# It is not necessary as traffic is not that bad in Manchester. Londoners would love our journey times.
# It covers an area far bigger than any precedent in the UK.
# It splits families up as people may be charged for visiting relatives, children etc.
# I will be charged for picking my son up from school when he does after school activities and there are no buses.
Why should I pay a tax for something I won't benefit from?
Why can't the government give us the £1.2b?
Public transport is not an alternative to my getting to work as it would add an hour to my journey time.
Why is a new tax, the government solution to everything?
Answer from the transport bosses-
Dear Simone,
These are the answers to your questions.
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) is running the consultation. The costs of TV ads are met jointly by GMPTE and the Department for Transport (DfT).
No further advertisements are planned. GMPTE is currently running a 14 week consultation on the proposals. The adverts were screened before the consultation began to make sure that as many people as possible know that the consultation was happening and what the consultation is about. OFCOMM have very tight guidelines on what can be advertised in broadcast media, you will note for instance that the adverts do not mention words such as improvement or better - simply more - in the context of public transport. The adverts were not even permitted to mention the amount of money available for investment - up to £3billion - for fear that they may be seen to be influencing.
Further material is focused on three main areas, why the package of measures is being proposed (information about congestion and public transport in Manchester, why congestion is a problem and future projections about congestion and the economy), what is being proposed (the Greater Manchester congestion charge is a very sophisticated system and is being supported by up to £3 billion of public transport across a large area so it is important that people know the detail) and how it will be delivered (the relationship between GMPTE, and the Department for Transport, how the scheme will be funded and managed, and the costs of the different elements of the scheme).
This is a very important time for Greater Manchester and we want to hear the views of as many people as possible. We also want to ensure that people have as much information as is possible about the scheme so that they can make an informed contribution.
Under the TIF package, up to £3 billion of funding will be available for transport improvements in Greater Manchester. This comprises Government grants of £1.5 billion, £1.2 billion of local funding supported by future revenue from a weekday peak-time only congestion charge and £0.1 billion of local third party contributions. The DfT has also confirmed that it will fund extra railway rolling stock for the city region, supporting more than 7,000 extra passengers at peak times. We cannot access this funding without congestion charging. DfT has made clear that “demand management” i.e. a congestion charge or simpler mechanism for discouraging car use must be part of the package.
As part of developing these proposals, AGMA and GMPTA looked at alternative funding methods. None of these methods would provide the investment possible under TIF. This information is available in Information Pack Document 1 - Why the Transport Innovation Fund, which can be downloaded from the GM Future Transport website. (The GMPTE do not make it easy to find the document - here is a direct link.)
The funny thing is that the transport bosses may believe that they are being fair. What other delusions are they suffering from?
Monday 14 July 2008
Have your say - Public Consultation Response forms. They will not pay any attention, but they may report to Council bosses what was said.
Apathy rules - MEN - "Poor show for c-charge meeting". The poor turnout is similar to the "yellow bus tour" last summer, where it was mainly the hired help who turned up. The apparent lack of interest may suit the authorities.
More suckers - Crain's - "Hotels, pubs and clubs associations join pro-TIF lobby".
Saturday 12 July 2008
FOR and against - Bolton News - "Congestion charge is the only way, businesses told".
Bolton does not want a Mayoral referendum - Bolton News - "Bolton councillors say 'no' to elected mayor". The solution is simple, if there is a referendum where the people of Bolton can decide on the tolls issue, then there will not be a Mayoral referendum.
Friday 11 July 2008
Police set on Peel - MEN - "Police probe Peel over election" MEN - "Peel Holdings statement". In Edinburgh nearly all the businesses were afraid to voice their opposition to the Con. We hope that this police involvement following complaints from the politicians does not intimidate other Manchester businesses to remain silent.
Two to One - Manchester Confidential - "Three leaders speak on Congestion Charging". One pcianfor and one against, and one of the people who is pulling the strings.
Thursday 10 July 2008
Big Toll chief comes to Salford and explains about 80% - Lord Smith, chief of the Wigan Labour fiefdom and leading proponent of tolls explains that when they said that transport improvements would be in place before tolls kicked in, they did not mean all of them - Salford Advertiser - "Metrolink upgrade fails 2013 deadline".
Fallout from the Mayoral Referendum - Bury Times - "Mayoral 'no' vote: the aftermath".
"Beware the big 'congestion con'" - Letter in Wigan Observer.
The principal toll boss again - The Rochdale Council boss says that the outer ring (M60) should be moved further in - Tameside Advertiser - "C-charge questions answered".
Third ring - Community News - "Brady slams third toll tax ring idea". This report is based on what the MP said in the Commons last week. In reply "a spokesman for the TIF" says - "There are no plans for a third ring or for a charging in any of the district centres". These may not be in the present phase one plan, but charging outside the M60 was in the original scheme and once they have their foot in the door....
Second ring - The Rochdale Council boss says that the outer ring (M60) should be moved further in - Middleton Guardian - "Council boss bid to change C-zones".
Wednesday 9 July 2008
"Sir Richard Leese replies to Graham Stringer on Congestion Charging" - Manchester Confidential.
David Ottewell suggests a trick - MEN Blog - "To £10-a-day or not to £10-a-day...". The £10 is most unlikely to have been put forward as a position that they intend to abandon. They may do so, but every concession makes it even more implausible that they will generate enough income, it also makes those who are left to pick up the tab even more aggrieved.
Tuesday 8 July 2008
More on "figures" and "consultation" - Rochdale Online - "C-charge consultation begins".
More on - another Campaign against the congestion charge - Wigan Evening Post - "Protesters launch road charge campaign".
The main Toll Boss reveals all to Manchester Confidential - "Exclusive: Sir Howard Bernstein talks Congestion Charging".
One person's view on another of the toll bosses - Wigan Evening Post - "Finding out opinion on charges is not a waste".
Toll bosses buy off opposition from private hire operators - MEN - "ALL cabs escape C-charge".
Monday 7 July 2008
Another "Campaign against the congestion charge" - Leigh Journal.
Some figures revealed - The authorities appear to have given some figures out to the press - Crain's - "£C-charge opponents: £30m running costs is too low" BBC - "£318m to bring in c-charge" Crain's - "C-charge to turn £143m profit each year" Bolton News - "£318m - the cost of setting up the congestion charge".
Consultation begins - BBC - "Road charge consultation begins" Crain's - "TIF backers use Facebook to win over professionals".
Other stories - MEN "Exposure" Blog - "CONgestion charging: The "truth"" Crain's - "On the Street and Off the Cuff" first bit.
Saturday 5 July 2008
More on moving target - MEN - "Group refuse to pay for mayor poll".
Lib Dem finance spokesman's views - (despite the headline this is mainly about the con charge) - MEN - "'Put homeless in posh flats'".
Road Tolls to pay for cyclists - The cycling establishment are backing road tolls - Rochdale Online - "C-charge will pay for cycle network".
Blast from the past - Rochdale Online - "Union backing for congestion charge". Most people will never have heard of this organisation or will have assumed that it faded away many years ago. Over the last year it appears to have issued three press statements - two of them supporting "congestion charging". Perhaps the "T" stands for "Tolls" and not "Trades".
Bit more from Tuesday's debate - Rochdale Online - "Congestion charge attacked in Westminster".
Friday 4 July 2008
Couple of items - Tameside Advertiser - "MP speaks of C-Charge concerns" David Ottewell blog - "Blogging the charge".
Moving target - the majority voted against having an elected Mayor in Bury (No 15,425, Yes 10,338, spoilt papers 28, turnout 18%) - BBC - "Bury elected mayor plan rejected" MEN - "Bury 'no' to elected mayor" David Ottewell blog - "Dead and Bury-ed".
This morning, Geoffrey Berg who organised both the petition and the referendum said:-
"The result is disappointing but the situation had changed substantially from when it was decided to go ahead with a campaign for a Mayoral referendum in Bury. At that time the Leader of the Council had determined that the Council should support the submission of the road tolls scheme, and there was a reluctance to agree to hold a referendum in Bury on the tolls issue. Since then the position of the Council has changed and the Council says that it no longer supports the tolls scheme, so many people will have thought that there was no point in voting. If the Council had adopted this position from the start it would have saved everyone a lot of time and
expense."
"MART has started Mayoral petitions in other areas, including Bolton and Tameside, where the Council leaders still seem to be enthusiastic about the introduction of this toll tax. We will continue with those Mayoral petitions until each Council agrees to hold a fairly conducted poll of its own residents on the toll issue."
Passengers on a ship - MEN - "C-charge survey delay snubbed". This story misses the point - who if any of the GMPTA board saw what was going out in their name? The situation is the same with AGMA. The people who are nominally in charge of this process - the ten Council leaders - seem to be mere figureheads. As far as we know most of the leaders have still not seen what was submitted to the Government in their name. If this is the way the ten leaders are treated, then what hope is there that the people will be given a proper say?
Thursday 3 July 2008
Tameside reaction to Poll suggestion - includes quote from Rob Hardman of MART - Tameside Advertiser - "C-charge referendum".
Complaint about the Corrie adverts - Buxton Advertiser - "Don't spend my money on this". Interesting that there are no letters in the Manchester papers about this. Is the toll advertising budget mightier than the pen? Or are the people of Manchester so used to being manipulated that they don't complain?
More on - Lib Dem Council leader backs poll - on his conditions - Middleton Guardian - "Suspicion over C-Charge vote".
Graham Stringer in Manchester Confidential - "MP for Blackley, thinks we’re having the wool pulled over our eyes".
Bury vote - MEN - "Voters have say in mayor battle". The MEN or someone seems to be trying to get the voters to say "No" to a Mayor by scare stories about extra costs and by saying that a Mayor could not keep Bury out of the road tolls scheme. We will see if voters are fooled. Though in any case the result of this referendum is not as vital as it seemed at one stage. When MART members started this ball rolling, the Leader of Bury Council, though a Tory, was in favour of submitting the TIF road tolls plan to the Government, and the Council could not agree on holding a referendum on the issue that was of most concern to the people of Bury - road tolls.
Who was doing the shouting? - MEN - "Leader in congestion run-in". Sir Richard says that he was shouted down, but according to Maria, it was Sir Richard who shouted her down and accused her of opposing public transport. No doubt the toll scheme advisers will now be increasing the spin budget.
PS Prestwich Advertiser - "Mother faces up to toll tax council boss".
More Sales meetings from the Chamber - MEN - "Chamber in c-charge challenge" MEN - "Transport plans: Meeting details". The Chamber of Commerce is holding more meetings for Sir Howard Bernstein "the main driver behind the transport bid" to try and convince businesses to support the tolls plan. He is being seconded by "United City" and opposed by the Greater Manchester Momentum Group. What the businesses will not get is any facts, as the authorities are still keeping secret all the documents in last year's TIF submission. And there is no way that the authorities will reveal what is in phase two of their plans, till they have got their foot in the door with phase one.
Wednesday 2 July 2008
More from the MEN Editor - "Little things can have a big impact" - A bit late but here is what he had to tell his readers on Monday - "The region now stands at a crossroads where it remains unclear whether a congestion charge will be used to unlock investment for public transport.
While the big picture has reached an impasse - the decision on whether to hold a public referendum has been postponed for a month - we today report details of several schemes which could help reduce congestion.
Matt Colledge, newly-elected chairman of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, has pledged to remain neutral on the issue and it remains to be seen how feasible the commitment is. Under his stewardship, however, the GMPTA is already talking of new schemes, including an expansion of the free Metroshuttle bus service outside Manchester city centre.
We are aware that the Metroshuttle expansion scheme has been suggested once before but failed due to a lack of support from the local authorities and businesses who would be asked to pay.
This newspaper believes that congestion charging is a price worth paying for improvements to public transport, so long as significant improvements have been made before charging begins.
But there is no harm in concurrently assessing the other small gestures which might make a difference to the way in which people move around Greater Manchester. We all have a duty to reappraise the way the roads and other transport links are utilised and we support the GMPTA for continuing to take the lead on this crucial debate."
If you strip out the verbiage and reference to "small gestures", this reasserts the MEN's 100% support for road tolls. Given the multi million pound spin budget that has also been given to the GMPTA to try and sell road tolls, one wonders how the people of Greater Manchester are going to learn the real facts about this scam?
Labour MP for Denton and Reddish backs a poll - Stockport Express - "Call for local poll on road charging".
Lib Dem MP for Cheadle will vote "No" - Community News - ""Seething resentment" at congestion charge: Cheadle MP tells Parliament".
"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others" - MEN - "C-charge car park row".
Tuesday 1 July 2008
Roads Minister denies bribery and bullying - Part of the Roads Minister's reply at the end of today's debate (see next item for link to full debate) - MEN - "Referendum: Council to decide". It seems that one requirement for a Government Minister must be the ability to deny what everyone else knows.
Labour MP attacks tolls plan - MEN - "Double whammy for drivers". This is welcome news, though it is not clear when this Commons debate was. The last debate was on the 9th June when the announcement was made, and none of this is in Hansard.
PS The answer to this mystery is that the debate was not in the Commons but in Westminster Hall - Lancashire Evening Post - "Congestion charge plans 'not up to the task'" Link to full report of debate, it is over more than one page.
Lib Dem Council leader backs poll - on his conditions - Rochdale Observer - "Council leader backs toll tax referendum". It all sounds very democratic - does it not! Last Wednesday it was reported that the Leader of the Tory group in Rochdale when hearing of the Lib Dem Damascene conversion said she was amazed as the Leader of the Lib Dems had previously "decried and dismissed as obstructive and ill-informed" her attempt to get Rochdale to agree to a poll.
Q. Is congestion charging a price worth paying for £3bn worth of public transport improvements? - MEN.
The official spin from the inside - BBC - "Manchester congestion charge: myth and reality". Interesting that the author is "the head of KPMG's global transport advisory group" and is described as the "Architect of the Manchester congestion charging plan". When was he elected? Is it a coincidence that KPMG is a member of the "United City" toll "supporters club"?
KPMG are the auditors for Transport for London and seem to love tolls. On the 24th May last year the Times City Diary had a brief piece following a Commons Transport Select Committee meeting that had looked at Manchester’s TIF plans - "Representing Manchester was Lewis Atter, now a consultant at KPMG. The bid requires £1 billion of funding from the Government’s Transport Innovation Fund ... this just happens to have been set up by one Lewis Atter, in an earlier life a heavy-hitter at the Treasury ..".
Monday 30 June 2008
Freedom of Information - . Someone suggests to David that he "Complain to the information commisioner". Our advice to David is that life is not long enough. On the 2nd August last year we asked the DfT for "a copy of all the documents that have been submitted to your department as part" of the TIF bid. They refused and we then had to go through the appeal hoops that are required before we could contact the Information Commissioner on the 10th November. As of this afternoon, our complaint is in "FOI Team 1 queue" and has not yet been "assigned to a complaints officer". As it has not been assigned any queries about the lack of progress are just filed and they will not not even acknowledge receipt until such point as someone is assigned. The whole system is run in such a way that the authorities know that they can hold up the release of information till the point at which it is no longer of use.
Despite this we have today made another Freedom of Information Act query to the authorities. We have asked for the cost and other details for each scheme that is in the package provisionally aporoved on the 9th June. It will be interesting to see if the details of the "goodies" are as secret as the rest of the scheme.
Ex tolls boss says - "Referendum will get the councillors of the hook" - MEN - "Metroshuttle set for expansion".
Another bonanza from Crain's, including the views of business bosses that want drivers to be tolled - Best one is the private equity bosses who want people to be dazzled by the goodies, presumably so that they can't see the tolls bullet on its way.
# "C-charge good for buy-to-let, says property promoter".
# "Other Views: Need £2.8bn? Sell Manchester Airport".
# "Private equity firm to join pro-TIF lobby group".
# "C-charge news round-up".
# "Firms cry foul over sweet deal for Trafford Park".
# "Our View: Let's make an informed choice".
# "Other Views: C-charge is fairest way to pay for transport improvements".
Saturday 28 June 2008
Time for clarity? - MEN Editorial from Thursday's paper - "Time for clarity on road tolls issue". In advance of Friday's meeting they seem to have been trying to pressure those districts that don't want to have a toll. The story about the "two thirds" majority deciding the issue would soon have hit the buffers of reality, so now it seems that an attempt is being made to force road tolls on to Trafford and other districts in another way. Those behind this may not believe that they will win a referendum, but are taking a big gamble so that they can keep their flop on the road.
Best bit of the editorial is the MEN urging its readers to make sure that they are in full possession of the facts. Perhaps the MEN could start by revealing to its readers that the authorities have been keeping secret what was in the TIF documents that were submitted last summer.
More on World turns upside down - MEN - "C-charge bid: shock blow". This story says that the TIF submission "is in the name of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), a coalition of the region’s 10 councils" and implies that the GMPTA doing a Pontius Pilate on the issue of road tolls may not matter.
It may be that the MEN is one up on everyone else, including most of the ten Council Leaders, - because the TIF submission is still a secret despite Freedom of Information Act requests by us and probably by others. So we don't know who's names were on the TIF submission. But what we do know is that the earlier TIF submissions (for "pump primimg" money) were in the names of both AGMA and GMPTA; that AGMA has no legal status and can not in its own right sign any agreement with the Government; and that the letter of the 9th June from the Department of Transport which gave "programme entry" to the TIF scheme was addressed to "Lord Peter Smith and Sir Howard Bernstein", Lord Smith is the chairman of AGMA, but Sir Howard is Clerk to the GMPTA.
Friday 27 June 2008
Further Report from today's AGMA meeting - This is from another MART member who was there and mentions some different points from Mary-
Everyone who spoke was in favour of private hire taxis being exempt from the charge, and the only point against this was that it undermined the value of a hackney carriage licence, which is quite expensive. Those who spoke pointed out that PH drivers outnumber HC drivers approx 10:1 and they were a vocal force in opposition to the charge.
The moving of the outer cordon from the M60 to the Manchester city boundary was suggested by Howard Sykes, the new Leader of Oldham, but nobody responded and the issue was not discussed or taken seriously.
An annual season ticket or capped charge was suggested. Most people seemed to like the idea and Sir Howard Bernstein's comment was to the effect that "all these things are up for grabs". There was a little misunderstanding about whether this would be available to everybody or just those within a certain area.
A discount for residents living in the charging zone (as in London) was suggested to remove most of the opposition from locals.
There was a discussion about making sure elected members were fully involved throughout instead of officers, especially in terms of public relations.
There was also a discussion about making sure the Electoral Commission were involved before and during the referendum to make sure it was seen to be fair.
There were objections to the size of the budget of £3 million for the consultation exercise (this summer). Some of this to pay for a 5,000 person MORI poll. Most of it to pay for advertising to convince people to vote yes for the con charge. Sir Richard Leese pointed out that this equated to only 50 pence per resident, and that it should be promoted as such to the public because it would be more palatable.
"Face off" Crain's - "TIF lobbying groups to face off July 2". Well done to the GMMG in getting an invite from the Chamber, though they seem to be facing two or three opponents (GMPTA, "United City" and the Chamber hierarchy) rather than one.
World turns upside down - David Ottewell Blog - "C charge newsflash: Tory takes helm at GMPTA". Later report on Crain's - "GMPTA elects new chairman".
More on AGMA meeting Rochdale Online - "AGMA defers decision on toll poll" Crain's - "Group against C-charge wants decision on referendum" MEN - "C-charge survey cost 'too high'" Crain's - "C-charge vote talks put on hold" updated BBC story - "C-charge vote talks put on hold".
The PM was in town today, saying that a decision on the C-charge would be "up to the people". Odd as his Government is changing the law to remove the least trace of democracy in these decisions, and is also dangling various transport goodies in front of people with the threat that the goodies will be removed unless the poison bait is also taken.
Report from the AGMA meeting - One of our members was present at this morning's meeting. Apparently there were no formal votes on anything but whatever resolutions were already on the agenda were passed. As there was nothing on the agenda about a referendum, this has not been formally agreed.
Most of the talking was done by Sir Howard Bernstein and Sir Richard Leese, and they made the referendum suggestion. Sue Williams for Trafford said that any Greater Manchester wide referendum should not be binding on those districts that did not want the scheme. Sir Richard told her that she would have to accept the proposal but that in any case there would be a formal resolution on the Referendum put to the next AGMA meeting.
Sue Williams also said that if there was to be a referendum, then there was no point wasting a great amount of money on a
consultation exercise. As with all other points raised, there was no vote and the consultation is to go ahead.
Points raised by other council leaders included whether private hire operators should also get a discount and a suggestion from Oldham that the outer toll cordon should not be the M60, but instead should be the Manchester City boundary.
AGMA meeting - The ten Council leaders meet this morning to discuss the Government's acceptance of the TIF submission that was made by AGMA and the GMPTA last August. The majority of the Council leaders will presumably rubber stamp further spending on the scheme which still has to go through two more rounds of vetting by the Government -Conditional Approval, and Full Approval. The leaders are also due to discuss "consultation". The possibility of holding a referendum was not on the agenda, but presumably will be discussed following the decision made on Wednesday by Sir Richard Leese. Having said that, the agenda and reports on the TIF submission seem to be in limbo at the moment, as the AGMA website was off the air last night and this morning.
Referendum -
# One of the regular contributors to the Guardian Blog, does not like referenda, but thinks that she and other toll supporters will win in Manchester - Chorley Guardian - "Status quo reins in Europe".
# A Rochdale Tory councillor comments on the apparent U-turn by the Leader of Rochdale Council - Chorley Guardian - "Amazement at congestion charge referendum U-turn". It is also surprising that a Lib Dem is apparently going to follow the lead of Labour.
Thursday 26 June 2008
Referendum boundary - Chorley Guardian - "'We need to have our say on congestion charge plan'".
PS Buxton Advertiser - "City charge jobs threat".
Bikers welcome their exemption but complain about parking their machines - BMF - "Manchester Congestion Charge ‘Give and Take’ for Motorcyclists".
More on "U turn" -
# ABD Press release - "Manchester Set to Hold Congestion Charge Referendum?"
# Bolton News - "Road-charge vote for all Greater Manchester"
# MEN David Ottewell Blog - "Congestion charge: reflections". David says that there is "NO BASIS IN LAW" for AGMA to force councils that don't want road tolls to have them. That is quite correct and why MART said last year that the TIF scheme was effectively dead (see 27 July on our 2007 Manchester News page). Despite that the Councils and the Government have gone through a charade. They were able to do that because much of the news media went along with it.
# MEN - "C-charge turmoil over ballot"
# MEN "Exposure" Blog - "C-charge: A very quiet U-turn"
# Sir Richard's Blog at Manchester City Council
# Middleton Guardian - "A ‘sMART’ protest against c-charge..." Salford Advertiser - "Campaigners target Merry" (more stories which seem to have been overtaken by events, but could reveal one reason for a change of heart by the toll bosses)
# Videos on BBC - 387 374.
More on Bosses against it - MEN - "IoD adds to road price opposition".
More on North of the border - MEN - "Set for a poll on the toll".
Wednesday 25 June 2008
Bosses against it - The BIG bosses organisations (such as the CBI and Institute of Directors) are usually in the camp of the Trolls. But the NW branch of the IoD has fundamental concerns about the current scheme - Crain's - "Institute of Directors against TIF bid".
"U turn" or what? - Early today the talk was about the Toll bosses agreeing to abide by whatever the "consultation" said. He who pays the piper gets to pick the tune, and these "consultation" exercises are constructed in such a way that they get the answers that they want. What the authorities have done in toll "consultation" exercises elsewhere is to lead up to the tolls question with a series of questions on congestion, and then say that the view of "experts" is that "congestion charges" are the only answer. People are also usually misled into thinking that all the income will be used for public transport etc. They are not told that in London, most of the money collected is wasted in the cost of administration and enforcement.
But it now seems that the authorities have "decided" (like a lot of decisions this one appears to have been made behind closed doors by a few people, some of them unelected) to change their minds and will now agree to holding a referendum.
Whatever the reasons for such a change of heart, those against the toll plans would welcome such a decision. Though one concern is what are the motives behind this? They have previously spread the story that if seven of the 10 councils agreed then the others would be forced in to it. That assertion never had any basis in law and was said to keep the show (and its consultants) on the road. It seems that the Toll Bosses and the Government can no longer keep the assertion up and they now want to try and force the reluctant councils by being prepared to lose it all on a referendum. (Though a Council will be in an odd position if its residents vote "No" on the issue, and the Council then do it anyway based on the votes of people who live elsewhere).
It could be that the Toll Bosses know they are heading for a mega political disaster unless they get endorsement from the people. It may also be that they believe that with their influence with certain papers, their spin machines and the use of many millions of tax payers money they can succeed in getting what they want. Whatever their motives and whatever the resources they employ, they might as well abandon this now, as the people will tell them what they can do with their Toll Tax.
More on "U turn" - Middleton Guardian - "Council backs referendum for c-charge" Middleton Guardian - "U-turn on congestion charge referendum".
This report appears to have been overtaken by events - Rochdale Observer - "Campaign to force charge referendum".
North of the border - Edinburgh Evening News - "Capital case cited in Manchester protesters' C-charge battle".
"Consultation" or Poll? - MEN - "U-turn over c-charge vote" BBC - "Public 'will decide' on C-charge".
"The Jury" - MEN.
More on being bold - David Ottewell Blog - "Birmingham watches from the sidelines". For more on this see "Another Tale of Two Cities" on our main news page yesterday. David mentions the "30,000 new jobs". He should remember that this is the difference between the forecast jobs growth in the area with "something" being done about congestion (210,000) and nothing being done (180,000). There are two problems with this. The first is that even with the lower estimate, where are all these people and their families going to live? The second is that improving public transport obviously does improve the economy, but bringing in road tolls will obviously damage it. There is no chance whatsoever that the authorities will publish any independent research into the effect of tolls on the economy.
Another Tolls Bill - The authorities are to spend £3 million on selling their toll plans and a mock consultation which will run to 10th October - "£3m bill - for charge views".As the MEN knows what the Council leaders will be deciding on Friday, why don't they also reveal what is in the envelope marked "Not to be opened till October" and let us all know the results of the consultation - the taxpayers could then save the £3 million.
Tuesday 24 June 2008
To boldly go where wise men fear to tread - Yesterday on our main news page we reported that Cambridgeshire (the only other area to have made a TIF submission) was having second thoughts. There are these stories today - Crain's - "Cambridgeshire County drops its C-charge plans" David Ottewell Blog - "And then there was one".
More on toll discounts et al - David Ottewell Blog - "Taxis, caps and consultation" MEN - "Chiefs will listen to private-hire drivers".
Darling backs tolls, sort of - MEN - "Darling backs c-charge".
Chamber selling tolls again - A year ago the Chamber of Commerce organised a series of meetings at which only toll supporters were allowed to address members. They are now having another go - Crain's - "Chamber to stage briefings on TIF proposals".
Other stories today - Chorley Citizen - "Campaigners warn Chorley commuters of congestion charge pay cut" Rochdale Online - "Congestion Charge Debate comes to Rochdale".
Monday 23 June 2008
Mammoth or mouse? - Leigh Journal - "United City speaks up for congestion fee plans". This story gives the impression that "United City" is a large independent business alliance. But is it more than a small group cobbled together by the puppet masters at the last minute to give the illusion that businesses back the tolls plan?
More of the same - This afternoon, the documents that AGMA (the 10 Council leaders) will consider at their meeting on Friday appeared on the AGMA site - (The 5 items that begin with a 3). It appears from one of the documents that there will not be a referendum, but instead there will be an exercise similar to the one conducted last year. These exercises are constructed to give the answers that they want. Despite this it will be sold as fair and representative. The puppet masters behind this scheme are treating the people of the city as if it was Zimbabwe.
Toll discount plans - The authorities have given to the press (AGMA have not yet made the report public) some details of discounts that are to be voted on and then "agreed" at a meeting of AGMA at Swinton Civic Centre on Friday 27th.
The press reports say that bikers, disabled, hackney cabs drivers, buses, emergency service vehicles and people with 'regular' hospital appointments would not pay the toll. People on low incomes would get a 20 per cent discount off the toll. People working at Trafford Park would get a 50% discount. The maximum charge for those who make multiple trips across the cordon would be capped at £10 for the day - BBC - "Delivery vans face £10 C-charge" MEN - "C-charge exemption plans" Crain's - "HGVs to pay same c-charge as cars - but special deal for Trafford Park" Rochdale Online - "AGMA to vote on c-charge discounts".
The private hire drivers complain that they are not exempt - MEN - "'We will fight the charge'". Based on what is in the press, it seems that the other 99.99% of drivers would love to pay the charge.
Crain's view of the "independent" business council - "Our View: Where is the voice of business?".
Toll Boss gives his views in Crain's - "TIF 'will stop spiral of decline'".
Saturday 21 June 2008
GMPTA can't agree on who is in control - Crain's - "GMPTA in deadlock over electing chair". A bit difficult to understand the voting, though it could be that no one is in a hurry to sit in Roger Jones's chair.
Mismatch - Crain's - "AGMA not telling all about C-charge, group says".
More on Business Petition - MEN - "Businesses rebel against c-charge".
Friday 20 June 2008
Who is the Toll Boss? - More from the official who is paid by the taxpayers, but appears to be pushing hard to sell tolls - Property Week - "Bernstein defends charge".
The inner ring - BBC - "Manchester C-charge area unveiled".
PS Story on Crain's "Options for C-charge inner ring unveiled".
Bolton News - "Congestion charge map has been unveiled". The News has a poll - "Do you think Bolton's vote will make a difference to the congestion charge?" 70% of people believe that the vote will be ignored.
Business petition - The Forum for Private Business has launched a petition for smaller firms to vote against the toll plans - FPB press release (includes link to petition). The FPB was part of the GMMG but left as it thought that at that time the GMMG was getting into areas that were not directly related to opposing the tolls plan.
Thursday 19 June 2008
Easily pleased - Chorley Citizen - "Chorley MP welcomes Manchester congestion charge consultation". The Lord of the Trolls has apparently said that neighbouring authorities will be "consulted". This will no doubt be similar to the consultation that took place with the native peoples when the Americas were colonised.
Idea for next anti-tolls protest? - South Manchester Reporter - "The bare-faced cheek".
Encouraging people to stay away - Lancashire Evening Post - "MP demands congestion charge consultation". A spokesman from
from the Campaign for Better Transport (formerly known as Transport 2000 and a leading anti roads group) is quoted - "Congestion charging .. might benefit Lancashire by encouraging people to stay here to shop.". We wonder if they will say the same to Manchester businesses?
"Fuel costs could be congestion weapon" - Editorial in yesterday's paper which says that the "congestion charge" is not to reduce congestion but to take more money from road users to give to trams, trains and buses - MEN.
"Authorities are steering us towards militancy" - Comment from Paul Taylor in yesterday's paper - MEN.
The new Tory MP for Crewe and Nantwich linked to firm backing tolls - Independent - "Split loyalties for Timpson as daddy takes on Tories".
Government Quango (NWDA) drumming up more support for tolls - Lancashire Telegraph - "Burnley rail upgrade could be boosted by Manchester congestion charge".
More Questions for Toll boss - Oldham Advertiser - "Trams to arrive in Oldham in 2011".
Wednesday 18 June 2008
Wigan to get station or a con trick? - Leigh Reporter - "Confusion over rail plan".
Stockport Council alternative - Stockport Express - "‘Metrolink will never come here’ says Council leader".
Questions for Toll boss - Manchester Confidential invited regular users of their site to ask questions about tolls - "Sir Howard Bernstein wants your questions on Congestion Charging". The questions are going to a man who is described as "Manchester City Council's Chief Executive (and) a Passenger Transport Authority boss in Greater Manchester". We don't know which political party he may belong to but Sir Howard is an unelected official. This seems to be another example of what the Manchester political establishment think about democracy - it is safer to use an officer as the tolls salesman as he can't be spurned by the electors à la Roger Jones.
New "Demands" - The puppet organisation that is supporting the tolls plan has some more "demands" for the puppet masters - Crain's - "United City announces C-charge demands". The original set of "demands" were a sham as they were what was supposed to be already in the TIF submission. These latest "demands" are partly the same, though it does contain s few novelties. One of these is the "demand" for "an exemption on motorcycles". We didn't realise that property developers were such keen bikers. It may be that the puppet masters have whispered in the ear of "United City" that they intend to do this in order to stifle one possible opposition group.
PS The story in the MEN - "Firms call for c-charge changes".
""No" Poll" - The Movie - BBC.
Traffic down - MEN - "Driven off the road". If it carries on like this then they will have to bring in a toll tax on pedestrians! Sounds unlikely? Perhaps, but there were tolls long before the motor engine was invented.
Press release - "NO WAY!" - Yesterday we issued this press release -
Today there are two good omens for those who oppose the plan for road tolls in Greater Manchester.
The first omen is the publication by the BBC of a survey of 1,000 people. It shows that most people do not want the scheme but they do want a referendum on the issue.
The people behind the scheme have dismissed the survey by saying that no one would want a new tax, and that people will say yes to tolls when they know more about the billions of spending on more trams and other transport schemes.
Despite what is suggested by advocates of this "Congestion charge" scheme, the proposed tolls in Edinburgh were also presented as a package with transport spending. The people there were subject to a massive spin campaign from the City Council, and the ballot paper was accompanied by a glossy leaflet showing all the goodies that the city would get if they said yes.
The exact wording of the question on the Edinburgh ballot paper was - "The leaflet enclosed with this ballot paper gives
information on the Council's transport proposals for Edinburgh. The Council's 'preferred' strategy includes congestion charging and
increased transport investment funded by it. Do you support the Council's 'preferred' strategy?"
Despite this bias, in the Toll Poll of February 2005, the people of Edinburgh recognised the poison within this apple and rejected the package by a margin of three to one. Will the people in the Manchester city region be given a similar chance to vote on this? Or will this tainted fruit be forced down their throats?
The other good omen for opponents is that the Norwich Union insurance company has abandoned its "Pay As You Drive" system that started in 2005. The system charged insurance premiums according to where and when a vehicle was used. It has been abandoned because drivers did not like the "big-brother element". Nationally this will be a blow for the Government plans for road tolls, but it may be a bigger blow for Manchester as some of the Transport Innovation Fund documents referred to "a partnership with Norwich Union, which could contribute to the delivery of the "GMITS" (GMITS is "Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Strategy").
The Councils will probably have no problem getting other firms to help them as the London scheme showed that huge profits can be made. But the abandonment of the "Pay As You Drive" scheme is a clear sign that if the Manchester scheme goes ahead then the Councils and the Government will have a massive problem in getting drivers to co-operate with the implementation and enforcement of this toll tax.
Tuesday 17 June 2008
"Anti c-charge campaigners see a good omen" - Rochdale Online.
"NO!" story even gets into the MEN - "C-charge gets thumbs down".
The spin revs up - MEN - "TV campaign for c-charge debate". If anyone didn't already know this shows that the politicians and their hired help are prepared to use millions from the taxes that we already pay in an effort to "con" people into paying more tax. Is there any one left who believes that they are living in a democracy?
"NO!" - BBC - "Under a third support road charge".
Despite what is suggested by advocates of this "Congestion charge" scheme, the proposed tolls in Edinburgh were also presented as a package with transport spending. In the Toll Poll of February 2005, the exact wording of the question on the ballot paper was - "The leaflet enclosed with this ballot paper gives information on the Council's transport proposals for Edinburgh. The Council's 'preferred' strategy includes congestion charging and increased transport investment funded by it. Do you support the Council's 'preferred' strategy?" The people of Edinbur