To think we need a congestion charge in every major city?

[impossiblecat]

The traffic is getting insane.

It's dangerous and bad for everyone's health.

With the exception of the disabled and people who live within the limits of said congestion zone, obviously.

I'd have all money raised ploughed into public transport.

Yabu. City centres near me are already dying in favour of out of town and online shopping. A congestion charge will kill them.

What do you define as a major city?
The closest city to me is diabolical for shopping/restaurants. A congestion charge would be the final nail in the coffin.

Really? All the ones I know are rammed most of the time.

Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Swansea, York, Oxford etc

Not smaller places like Scarborough etc

I think it depends on the transport links. You can’t jusy shut off a town/city to vehicles when they only run 2 buses a day for example.

No major city only has two buses a day.

YABU

I go to Manchester quite often, I don't find the traffic too bad.
If I had to commute through it, i may feel differently.

I used to live in the suburbs of a minor city, moved rurally 3 years ago because the traffic was horrendous. Congestion charge wouldn't sort that out.

Ahh my bad I didn’t read it correctly.

Manchester is a nightmare at the moment because of the rediculous roadworks.

However before looking at any congestion charges public transport needs major work because even with the roadworks for me living between Manchester and Liverpool both are much quicker, and cheaper, to drive to than to get public transport. And i am not stuck to a daft timetable either

I live in Manchester the traffic is fucking horrific especially with the roadworks atm. Though the centre is so pedestrianised now its virtually impossible to drive there anyway

Yabu. City centres near me are already dying in favour of out of town and online shopping. A congestion charge will kill them.
Agreed. I don't often go to my nearby city because they are so anti-car.
I go to the out-of-town shopping centre or a different city (where I know where to park for free).

So another tax on people who have to live far out because they can't afford the prices close to town ?

Oh, and With the exception of the disabled never really happens in the UK. So it's just another step backwards for inclusion. Although given how easily it's happened these past few years, it's hard to avoid the conclusion it's intended.

Here's an idea. Why don't employers that can make more (not less) use of teleworking ? Take 5% of the cars off the road, and see a 20% decrease in traffic.

I'd welcome a congestion charge in my city...if public transport was up to scratch beforehand.

Take today for example, I tried to catch the train into work. 5 different trains went past that I couldn't get on because rolling stock is inferior to the demands of the network. Buses from my part of the city are unreliable and finish operating after 6pm so that's me in the car for my commute adding to the massive amount of traffic on the road already.

Whilst I live within cycling distance there isn't a safe route for less than athletic cyclists and the amount of equipment I have to carry for my job weighs over 25kg which is just about doable in a backpack when walking but I'd feel incredibly unsafe with that affecting my balance on a bicycle.

That all discounts the logistical nightmare that is getting my children to where they need to be on time and on budget. Public transport is not capable of supporting that in my city.

Carrot before the stick, get the public transport seamless and cost effective and traffic will naturally fall off. Double up with a congestion charge and you only have necessary journeys into city centres rather than ones forced by low options.

No.

Congestion charge is good in london as you've other options with great tubes, buses, boats, good bike lanes etc. But then it's pretty pointless anyway as residents get such a massive discount so it only hits the occasional visitor.

But leeds for example has crap public transport so it would be unfair to charge people there etc

Where I live they stopped buses 20 odd years ago. Our rail services into Chester, Liverpool, Manchester are tourism driven so only good in the summer. I already pay eyewatering car parking charges to do a bit of retail therapy, if you added congestion charges to be honest I would not bother going.

I don't think they are a good idea until public transport has been improved vastly, but I do think they will be coming sooner rather than later with or without the public transport improvements

What about those of us who work within what would be a charge zone, live outwith, and work shifts so there is no alternative to using a car?

What about people who live in villages or small towns and commute in from places without decent public transport links?

They probably already pay extortionate parking charges, why add a congestion charge too?

Make it safer to cycle

masterandmargarita Tue 27-Nov-18 16:10:21
Make it safer to cycle

So I buy a tandem for three, drop the kids off at their schools, cycle into the city, try not to look sweaty and smell, do my work, park my bike outside Asda, get the food for tea, cycle back to two different schools and we all cycle home???

Those saying what about...

You can pay the charge or find an alternative. If there is none, campaign for it.

Our cities are gross. You can literally taste the fumes when walking down the street. That has to change.

Everyone was convinced that London would grind to a halt- it didn't. I was working there when it was intriguing and it was an overnight revelation.

We can't keep piling in more and more cars. Where does it end?

Public transport does need to be improved in rural areas but it's great where I live and people still drive in.

Manchester had a referendum a few years ago about congestion charges and voted overwhelmingly against it.
I’m guessing Burnham will try and get one anyway.

London has a very well established public transport network. I can’t think of any other city in this country that comes close to it. For that reason you can’t compare what works in London to what works elsewhere!

Can the councils keep the income to shore up their financial position??