1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176 
P CONGESTION CHARGINC
Page 6
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Manchester charging has hauliers guessing
Words: Roanna Avison
PLANS FOR congestion charging in Manchester were revealed this week but the haulage industry remains in the dark as to whether or not trucks or vans will have to pay. The proposals were unveiled amid much fanfare, with funding from the government available to the tune of £3bn to improve transport links before the peaktime charge is introduced in 2013.
But the information released makes no mention of commercial vehicles and Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE), which is making the proposals, was unable to provide Commercial Motor with details. Local hauliers tell CM they have been left guessing if HGVs will be included in the scheme, which will include two rings around the city with different charging zones.
Mike Lyons, group finance director at AK Worthington, says it appears the GMPTE has yet to decide if HGVs will be covered.
"We're worried about being charged several times for the same truck we multidrop," he adds.
AK Worthington has joined a group of businesses called GM Momentum Group, which was formed to oppose the plan.
Austin Wilkinson and Sons' managingdirectothmes Wilkinson has also failed to find out if trucks will be expected to pay a fee.
"There seems to be no firm idea yet, but any charges we have to pay will mean we'll have to put our rates up," he says.
Kerry Logistics traffic manager Steve Barratt adds that not only would a congestion charge affect trucks coming into the firm's Trafford Park site, but also employees trying to get into work.
And it's not just hauliers that are uncertain about the scope of the scheme. Freight Transport Association (FTA) head of road network management policy Malcolm Bingham also says he is unsure if HGVs will be levied. "Initially, the organisers said all will have to pay, but they've now said they haven't considered goods vehicles. They will be discussed during the consultation."
The 12-week consultation period is due to begin shortly.