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Simple choice? Congestion fees or transport plans stall

by Carl Marsden
11/ 6/2008

DETAILS of the £3bn package that would bring Metrolink into Oldham town centre – and provide access to a new "world class" public transport system – have been unveiled.

The Government has this week given the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) the green light to proceed with its bid for an unprecedented investment in regional trams, buses and trains – but only if a peak-hour, congestion-charging scheme of up to £5 per day is introduced.

At its heart, the package would see the long-awaited completion of the ‘Big Bang’ Metrolink expansion with new lines to Rochdale, Oldham, Ashton, east Didsbury and the Trafford Centre.

But it would also mean enough new regional rail stock to carry 7,000 passengers at peak times, a doubling in the number of park and ride schemes presently available, huge investment in buses, and the introduction of a new travel ‘smartcard’ to be used on all public transport.

The wide-ranging scheme includes specific benefits for Oldham, including:

  • A revised Metrolink route bringing the tram into the town centre with stops at Westwood, King Street and a relocated Oldham Mumps

  • Expansion of Metrolink park and ride facilities at Shaw and Crompton and Mills Hill railway station, delivering a total of about 450 spaces

  • Increased capacity of peak-time trains running through Greenfield and Mills Hill

  • Better facilities at Greenfield Station

  • Significant local bus service improvements with an increased number and frequency of services including, for example, improved feeder services to the new Metrolink line at Shaw and Crompton and improved services to Royal Oldham Hospital

    The funding package of up to £3bn is made up of £1.5bn of Government grants, a loan of £1.2bn to be paid back through congestion charging, £100m of third-party funding and around £200m of Government money for extra rail carriages.

    That is on top of £600m confirmed last month for Metrolink extension 3a, which will replace the existing Oldham-Rochdale rail line.

    The plans will go out to a 12-week public consultation, starting next month, before AGMA’s ten local authorities decide whether to proceed.

    But the main stumbling block will be congestion charging which is based on two rings operating from Monday to Friday.

    These would pick up vehicles heading towards Manchester in the morning (8am-9.30am) and outward, away from the city centre, in the evenings (4pm-6.30pm).

    Of the ten AGMA councils, Trafford, Bury and Stockport are opposed to the charge while Bolton is set to hold a local referendum.

    Confusion still reigns as to whether a simple majority or two-thirds of the councils are required to approve the plans, but concerns have already been raised in the Oldham area about the operation of the proposed outer ring, just inside the M60.

    David Heyes MP, Failsworth and Hollinwood, said: "We must find a way of making sure that local journeys in and around the M60 corridor in areas like Hollinwood and Failsworth are exempt from any charge."

    And Cllr Richard Knowles, who is bidding to become chairman of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, said such details need to be finalised now – ahead of the consultation – to ensure people can make an informed decision.

    "There has to be some flexibility in that the outer boundary needs to be moved inwards towards Manchester to avoid keeping bits of Oldham, Stockport and Tameside inside a zone that is trying to stop congestion in Manchester centre," he said.

    "The proposed park and ride at Hollinwood, for example, would lie within the charging zone, so there would be no incentive to use it. This, and many other questions need answering so that the fullest possible information can be sent out to residents ahead of the consultation period."

    CONGESTION PLANS  VIEWED AT A GLANCE:

  • CHARGE based on two ‘rings’ – first just inside the M60 and the second roughly around the inner ring road;

  • MOTORISTS will use a ‘tag and beacon’ system, with pre-paid electronic tags;

  • CHARGES apply Monday to Friday, from 7am-9.30am towards the city centre, and from 4pm-6.30pm for traffic going outwards;

  • DRIVERS will pay £2 (at today’s prices) for crossing the outer ring in the morning, and a further £1 for crossing the inner ring;

  • OUTWARD peak-time journeys will cost £1 for passing the inner ring and £1 for passing the outer ring;

  • NO charges at other times, or at weekends or on Bank Holidays;

  • MONEY will pay for a wide-ranging package of public transport improvements;

  • BUS feeder services to rail and Metrolink stations plus 120 extra yellow buses for schools;

  • EIGHT new transport interchanges;

  • INCREASED rail capacity for 7,000 extra passengers at peak times;

  • DOUBLE the amount of park and ride facilities around the city;

  • REAL time electronic information at all major bus, rail and tram stations;

  • A TRAVEL ‘smartcard’ which can be used across different forms of transport owned by different companies;

  • CHARGE not introduced until summer 2013;

  • FEES will be capped at £5 a day at today’s prices, estimated to be £6 a day in 2013;

  • FEWER than 20 per cent of drivers are expected to pay a charge at all.


    • | Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(2)


    Most recent 2 of 2 user comments

       It costs London motorists over £200M a year for the Congestion Zone with the stated aim to reduce congestion and pollution. The result is not a single saving in any part of the pollution range and not a solitary reduction in congestion in the 5yrs operating (average speeds across London are around 10mph).

    £200M a year for a complete and utter failure on both counts.

    And our wise Labour Govts' decision is to bribe Councils up and down the country with more public money to install more expensive miserable failures in their region. The thinking is "it's a failure.. let's roll it out nationwide".

    If you've ever wondered why politicians are inept, incompetent and can't be trusted (very possibly corrupt) the Con-Zone is a perfect example.

    If you've ever wondered why your taxes are going up and you're not seeing a penny back in any public service improvement the Con-Zone is evidence example No.1.

    And when you do some further maths (motorists pay £40bn a year in tax, subsidising buses £2bn and trains £6bn) and add up how many people they transport you see why public transport in the USSR went bankrupt and their crap Ladas had 12 year waiting lists - namely the car is the most eficient, cost effective, productive and convenient form of transport man has invented. Public transport needs subisidising because it's crap.

    Labour came 5th, lost their deposit and joined the ranks of extremist minority looney parties at the last by-election. I think the public have put them in their rightful place. Labour RIP.
    Spanners
    15/07/2008 at 23:42
       Events of the last few weeks with the price of crude oil rising and driving up petrol and diesal prices, increasing transport costs and raisg the cost of food, electricity and gas will have a dramatic impact on the economy. Already reeling from billions in negative equity and a credit crunch set to get worse they now will have to contend with a 40% increase in domestic fuel prices.

    Whilst a world class transport system is desirable, road congestion is not going to be a problem over the next few years...But charging mat impact on some of the porrest areas of manchester disueding buisness from setting up. Graham Stringer ghas described this as being a "political" & "economic" disaster...and so it is.
    fairplay
    18/06/2008 at 22:14
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