Residents and haulage firms against Manchester road toll
Date: 16 July 2007
Freight forwarders and other logistics companies will no doubt be pleased to hear that a majority of people in Manchester appear to be against the city's congestion charge plans.
Members of the Manchester Against Road Tolls (MART) action group polled residents in the districts of Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Trafford, and found that more than four-fifths (81 per cent) of respondents were against the charge.
If those who declined to sign the petition and those who were not at home are included, 68 per cent of households are against the charge, which threatens to increase costs for haulage companies and couriers in the area.
MART member Sean Corker commented: "The Manchester authorities have spent £400,000 of taxpayers' money on glossy leaflets and American models featured in bogus case studies.
"Despite the huge propaganda campaign, this survey by ordinary people of ordinary people clearly shows that the overwhelming majority of residents object to the imposition of a congestion charge.
"Our survey proves that the council has failed its own key test of 'public acceptability' and therefore has no mandate to proceed with the congestion charge bid. Councillors of all parties should be mindful that their first responsibility is to the people who elected them."
The Road Haulage Association believes that the Manchester congestion charge proposals are "fatally flawed" because of the intention to levy goods vehicles such as those operated by freight forwarders.
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