Press Releases

29 September 2008

It's the Final Count Down for Consultation

With only two more weeks of consultation left the GMPTE issued an update at today's Association of Great Manchester Authorities (AGMA) board meeting on how the people of Greater Manchester have responded.

Over 80,000 written responses to the consultation brochure have been received by Ipsos MORI, the independent research company tasked with compiling all the feedback from the consultation.

Mike Everett, Ipsos MORI spokesperson commented, "This is an exceptionally high number of responses, especially as the response forms contain individual comments and views and are not just answers to a simple questionnaire.  We initially predicted 40,000 responses but we now expect around 100,000 by the end of consultation on the 10th October.”

In addition to the response form, residents and businesses could visit the website for more information (41,927 web visits since 7th July), phone a helpline (2426 calls) or visit exhibitions (54 exhibitions so far with over 9300 visitors with 11 exhibitions to go).

Over 200 key stakeholder groups from disabled organisations, cycling groups and businesses have been consulted via engagement meetings and presentations. As a result a Human Resources Pack has been developed for companies' including public, private and voluntary organisations detailing the transport improvements and congestion charge facts that could impact their employees. The HR pack will be sent out to 200 businesses who have requested it and is available on the website for organisations to access (http://www.gmfuturetransport.co.uk/pdf/HR_pack_information_for_employees.pdf)

Despite the success of the consultation there is still a lack of understanding about the congestion charge element of the package which will include £3bn worth of investment into public transport.

Awareness gaps include the fact that you only pay when you go in the direction of the congestion and you don't pay a charge if you travel against the flow of traffic, less than half (45%) are aware of this.  Only 35% are aware there is no charge to travel around the M60 and 45% are aware the public transport investment happens before the congestion charge goes live in 2013.

However, awareness of a congestion charge is high with 95% of the 5,000 having heard about it but only 80% are aware of the public transport package.

A more recent MORI poll with 821 residents and 200 employers who were tested on 5 journey scenarios found on average approximately seven out of 10 residents and two-thirds of business respondents were not aware of the cost of the proposed congestion charges.

Furthermore, today's AGMA meeting agreed an additional communication proposal to help inform people about the congestion charge and to outline the final package based on feedback from consultation, which people will vote on in December.

Lord Peter Smith, Leader of AGMA surmises': "Today's meeting confirmed the importance of public transport for people of Greater Manchester and we are delighted with the response to a successful consultation, with only two weeks to go it's important for those who have not yet responded to tell us what they think.  However, our congestion charge proposal is less understood, it is more intelligent than London and I urge people to realise that Manchester's charge is only aimed at people who contribute to congestion and most people won't pay it."