Mancunians reject Labour bung
A good day for motorists today, as residents of Greater Manchester overwhelmingly rejected the government’s attempt to bribe them into introducing a commuter congestion charge for the city. On a turnout of over 50%, a majority of 4-to-1 voted against the scheme, with large majorities in all ten boroughs of the county.
If you look at previous opinion polls, it’s hardly surprising that the plans were rejected by so large a section of the population. When asked in March 2007 the big headline question - “Do you think congestion charging is a good idea?” - the noes won by 64% to 36%. Even when asked if it was a “price worth paying” to secure £1bn of central government transport financing, the ayes only narrowly scraped in by 55% to 45%. Overall, 76% thought the scheme would have a negative effect in their neighbourhood.
The fact that people think it’s a price worth paying proves that the £1bn is a bung. If it weren’t, people would think it was a good thing per se. That is clearly not borne out by the research, which shows increased congestion, negligible revenue, and a nightmare for London’s businesses. Instead, they think it’s a disastrous idea, and voted as such yesterday.
That’s the case wherever people get a vote on such things. The people of west London rejected the expansion of the congestion charge by 63% to 37%, but were told by the despotic then-mayor Livingstone that ‘a consultation is not a referendum’. For that, read what government’s stock answer to everything is: “I don’t give a shit what the people want - I’m the one in charge.”
The past few months have been better one than motorists have been used to under this government. Boris Johnson’s victory in May paved the way for him to scrap the £25-a-day envy tax on large cars, a more democratic consultation than Ken’s led to the announcement that the western extension of the London congestion charge is being removed, and falling oil prices have given hope that petrol will fall to a reasonable level. In the face of all this, the government has done all it can to undo this progress: by slapping yet another 2p a litre on fuel duty.
Fortunately, by rejecting the bung Labour has tried to throw the city, Mancunians have stood up for the forces of common sense. Congestion charging hasn’t worked in London, wouldn’t work in Manchester, and is a downright dirty thing for the government to foister on the people in the face of the government’s recession. This time, let’s hope they listen.
