One of the consequences after the TIF rejection

No doubt there is going to be lot of reaction over the TIF result in Manchester.

The MEN's transport correspondent is no doubt busy at the moment but he gives this brief thought

The consequences of this could be enormous. Which city would dare hold a referendum on congestion charging now, no matter how much investment is attached as a "carrot"?
But which city would dare NOT hold a referendum, given the outcry there would now be?

Overwelming rejection of the congestion charge

I suppose the result of the Manchester congestion charge vote was not unexpected.

Results just out are that all ten local council areas have rejected the proposals to bring in the charge to fund a £2.7bn investment in public transport infrastrucure improvements.

But really to ask people to vote on medium term plans which will cost them money was not the correct way of doing this.

The impending economic doom that surrounds the country meant that its timing wasn't the best.

But what this proves is that for most people the green agenda is well down the list of priorities.

It will be interesting to see how Manchester moves forward now.

Congestion charge here we come-well possibly

So the government has given the go ahead for a congestion charge scheme in Greater Manchester.It will be 2013 before it comes into operation and will be dependent on £3b of additional public transport improvements.

There are many opponents of the scheme however and it may well be put to a referendum before its final introduction.

One of the main objections is the economic effect on the centre of Manchester and a poll from Stark Brooks of over 10,000 people says that 71% would no longer look for a job in Manchester.

The cost will be a maximum of £5 a day but this will only be if you travel into the centre and out again from outside the M60 motorway during peak hours.Drivers wil have to put tags on their windscreens which will be detected by roadside beacons and monies will be deducted from a pre paid account.

This is a recent recation on Twitter from the Wigan business directory

Listening to comments on the radio it seems that most people are against it despite Manchester Council saying otherwise. There was even one businessman who said that he had stopped doing business in Central London and would now do the same for Manchester. Would you go this far?
Personally I believe that this is just another stealth tax to get at the motorist. London has a decent public transport system where Manchester does struggle even with the tram system that was much hailed