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FTA fights for better access to Manchester
Page 12
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By Roger Brown THE FREIGHT Transport Association (FTA) says it will argue the case for better access to Manchester city centre for commercial vehicles if the city's congestion charging scheme goes ahead.
The 1.9 million residents of Greater Manchester were invited to vote on the plans in a postal referendum, and the result will be announced on 12 December.
Under the proposals, drivers will be charged up to £5 to pass through two cordons into the city — an outer boundary at the M60. and an inner ring closer to the centre. Vehicles will be charged for driving into the busiest areas at peak times: between 7am and 9.30am and 4pm and 6.30pm.
Last month. the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities decided to exempt trucks for at least the first 12 months of the scheme, should it get the go-ahead following the referendum.
The city could introduce the charge — tied to a 12.8bn investment in its bus, tram and rail networks — in 2013.
Malcolm Bingham.FTA head of policy for the North of England, says: "The FTA will now work together with the 'Yes' campaign to ensure that our ideas to bring real improvements to urban access for goods and services in Greater Manchester are covered through the scheme.
"We are happy to be engaging with the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority to discuss, for example, how essential goods, service and postal delivery vehicles should be affected by the congestion charge."
• For more information on this, log on to ww.roadtransport.com/ manchesterce