Road pricing has been roundly rejected in the recent referendum. The proposal for peak time tolls of up to £5.00 a day was defeated by 4 to 1. Just over a million people voted and electors were not persuaded by the £1.5 billion of government money for public transport which would have provided 10,000 extra jobs.
Talking to people who voted against the scheme I have come to the conclusion that it was heavily defeated for the following reasons:
1. There were no advantages for Wigan
2. People did not like the idea of being given money for improved transport only if they voted Yes. They perceived it as a form of bullying by Government
3. People did not believe the promises of improved public transport
4. Residents of Manchester - depending on where they lived - saw this as a tax without any advantages e.g. the tram system was not being extended to their area.
I personally voted yes for the following reasons
1. I believed that Wigan would gain some advantages through the extra money for public transport. The stations in Wigan and Bryn would have been upgraded and there would have been a new station built in Golborne. There would also have been a guided bus route from Leigh to Manchester.
2. The driving economic force of this region is Manchester and that it must be seen to be an attractive proposition for investors to put their money into. An area that is snarled up with traffic with the attendant problems of lenghty journeys and pollution does not make this an attractive area and consequently will deter investors. A lack of investment will mean fewer jobs.
The no vote has not changed anything and the issues are still the same. There is still congestion, poor air quality and substandard public transport. The money will not now come to this area and there seems to be no plan B.
Naturally I am disappointed with the result of the referendum. But I accept the verdict of those who voted and will work in any way I can towards solving this difficult issue. In fact all parties concerned must now have a period of reflection and find alternatives to the congestion charge. Below is a list of some of the alternatives that have been tried elsewhere:
1. Workplace parking levies.
Nottingham is planning £364 annual tax on business parking spaces.
2. Rising bollards
Cambridge uses them to stop cars but allow buses to pass
3. Rephase traffic lights
In London Boris Johnson is adding two seconds to the green phase at the expense of pedestrians
3. Hard shoulder running
The Government plans to allow vehicles to use the hard shoulder as a running lane on 500 miles of motorway - already in use on the M42.
4. Car sharing lanes
The 60 per cent of cars that have one occupant are barred from these lanes, used in Bristol and Leeds in rush hour.
5. Redesigned roads and junctions
to eliminate pinch points that cause traffic queues.
6. More school buses
to get cars off the road
7.Red routes
to prevent vehicles stopping and blocking the road
8. Reallocation of road space
away from cars and towards cycling and buses
I would interested in any other alternatives readers of this blog have to solve this difficult issue. As a member of the Council's Environment Panel I am in a position to put forward proposals for discussion to the Engineering Department and will be reporting back as to what measures are being taken and will be taken in the future to address this issue
1 comment:
Nigel, whilst I appreciate your support regarding the 620 bus service this is exactly WHY I voted no, and spread the word vehemently for others to do so also. Why did the Transport Authority put the 620 back on for six months? To get through the vote. Nothing more, nothing less.
So, solutions. Well these are never easy and I hope I won't be a lone voice, but they can start by ripping up the waste of space that is Warrington Road/Clapgate Lane/St Pauls Avenue at Goose Green, they can change the lighting phase back at Hindley to how it was, and also adjust that junction to how it SHOULD be (traffic from Platt Bridge > Hindley is frequently log-jammed), they can run bus services to actually connect with trains at, for instance, Gathurst, Hindley, Pemberton (Bryn is an exception due to the frequency of the 600 service). They can look again at the effectiveness of the bus lane by Wigan Pier (outbound) and strictly enforce those who break it.
And how to pay for all of this? Well the money wasted on public consultations about the congestion charge would be a start.
If we want a 21st century transport system, yes, we have to pay for it somehow. I do think congestion charging, on a much smaller scale will be brought in around Wigan, Bolton, Manchester etc. town/city centres. As it stood, Wigan would benefit very little from what was proposed. The station at Golborne was disputed if it is even possible (and the introduction of the new Virgin timetable from today makes that even more so), a few more buses, perhaps, and a "glazed walkway" between Wallgate and North Western... Just how exactly would that be achieved?
It is interesting that the consultation response was sent to me today, and people from Wigan spoke strongly about public transport, or lack thereof, in very specific areas. GMPTE should now take this forward and look at those areas, but yes, it does have to be funded somehow, and tough decisions have to be made as to how that is achieved.
Post a Comment