AGMA to vote on c-charge discounts

Date published: 23/06/2008

The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities is to vote on exemptions to the proposed congestion charge for Manchester. Motorcyclists and disabled drivers could be made exempt from paying a charge but delivery drivers could pay up to £10 a day.

Details of the discounts will be voted on at an AGMA meeting in Swinton this Friday (27 June).

Hackney cab drivers, buses, emergency service vehicles and people with 'regular' hospital appointments would not a pay a charge.

The AGMA proposals also state that people on low incomes could receive a discount of up to 20%, while Trafford Park employees could receive a discount of up to 50%.

Those that make repeat journeys in and out of the two congestion rings at peak times could face huge charges but AGMA says that charges for vehicles making multiple trips across the cordons would be capped to a maximum £10 per day.

However, the Manchester Against Road Tolls protest group believes that the cost of the discount scheme will come at the expense of other drivers. A spokesman said: "The discounts which are apparently proposed will also make the cost of administering and enforcing the scheme even higher. The cost of both the discounts and of the extra administration will inevitably be borne by other drivers."

"It is proposed that taxis will not pay whereas people going to work by car will pay. The reason for this must be that the authorities are frightened of the reaction from taxi firms, other drivers should take note that they are regarded as a relatively soft target."