FAQ

Below are some of the more frequently asked questions about the TIF plans.

If you have a question that isn’t answered here you can ring our free phone number 0800 234 6100.

These questions and answers will be reviewed regularly to reflect the questions the free phone number generates.

How do I cast my vote?
Postal voting packs will be sent to everybody who is eligible to vote in late November 2008. Further information about who to contact if you don't receive your ballot paper pack will be posted on the Tif Referendum Website www.tifreferendumreturningofficer.com
Back to top
What is the deadline for returning my ballot paper?
You need to return your ballot paper to the Returning Officer by no later than 10pm on Thursday 11 December. If you have left it too late to post you can also deliver your vote in person to one of a number of delivery points across Greater Manchester on 11 December.
Back to top
Can’t we just take the £1.5bn on offer, not borrow any extra money and not have a congestion charge?
The TIF package is a package- and one element is not available without the other. The Department for Transport (DfT) has offered Greater Manchester £1.5bn to invest in public transport, GMPTE would borrow a further £1.2bn and there would also be third party contributions of around £0.1bn.

The £1.5bn on offer from the DfT, is dependent on the introduction of measures to tackle congestion - a directional, weekday only, peak time congestion charge.
Back to top
What does it mean when you say you get a low paid discount?
There are two aspects to the proposed Low Income Workers discount – a charging discount for people who would travel by car, and a public transport discount.

A charging discount of 20% would be applied to those workers earning the level of the minimum wage and whose place of work is within the charging rings. To obtain this discount, users would need to provide evidence of their income and evidence of their work location. The user would have to identify which car the discount should apply to. This car would have to be registered at the same address as the user. When the charging rings are crossed, the system would identify the eligible vehicle and apply the discount.

A public transport discount of 20% on public transport fares during the peak periods would be applied for workers in Greater Manchester earning the level of the minimum wage. To obtain this discount, users would need to provide evidence of their income. The discount would apply to local peak-time (7:00am to 9:30am and 4:00pm to 6:30pm) public transport journeys in Greater Manchester. For the public transport discount, the user would register for the scheme and their travel smartcard would be used to administer the discount as and when fares were paid.
Back to top
I am an employee at Trafford Park – would I have to pay the congestion charge?
There would be a 100% discount to workers in Trafford Park which would end when the optimum public transport investment package became operational (anticipated to be in 2016 if the TIF package goes ahead).

This discount would apply to employees working in Trafford Park. For the purposes of this discount Trafford Park includes the shopping and leisure facilities inside the M60 in and around the Trafford Centre.

The discount would apply to charges for crossing the outer ring.
Back to top
Would I see a change in my public transport fares because of TIF?
The TIF strategy aims to deliver an integrated fares and ticketing system.

We would seek to introduce the following range of tickets:

•    2 or 3 fare bands e.g. a short hop (5 stops or less) and a standard fare;
•    Smartcard based products allowing single fares to be purchased with the smartcard (acting as an electronic ‘purse’) and a series of price caps for:

o    120 minute capped fare for unlimited bus or tram journeys
o    Daily/weekly caps for unlimited bus or tram journeys

In addition, there would be a low income worker discount of 20% on peak time public transport fares for those earning the minimum wage.
Back to top
When would the investment and charging be introduced?
The improvements in public transport would begin to be in place from 2010. Almost all of the improvements would be in place by the summer of 2013, the earliest that congestion charging could be introduced.
Back to top
How can we be sure that the improvements would be in place before charging is introduced?
AGMA (the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities) has insisted that at least 80% of transport improvements are in place before congestion charging could be introduced.
Back to top
How much congestion would be reduced by the proposals?
It is estimated that traffic levels would fall immediately by 10-15% from the date when a charge is introduced.
Back to top
Would it affect drivers who stay on the M60?
No. The outer ring of the congestion charge would pick up cars coming into Manchester off the M60 in the morning, and going back onto the M60 in the evening. There would be no charge for driving on the M60 itself.
Back to top
Would it operate like the London congestion zone?
No the Greater Manchester scheme would operate at peak times and in the direction of congestion - going in towards Manchester in the morning peak, and coming out in the early evening. So there would be no charge to pay for driving inside the rings themselves.
Back to top
What would be the location of the inner ring?
Click here to download a pdf of the proposed inner ring
Back to top
What would I pay?
Assuming no discounts apply to a journey, the following charges would apply.

Weekday Mornings
£2* if crossing the Outer Ring in-bound, towards Manchester city centre between 7:00am and 9:30am
£1* if crossing the Inner Ring in-bound, towards Manchester city centre between 7:00am and 9.30am
You would only pay once regardless of how many times you cross each ring in the charging period, e.g. you would only be charged £2* to cross the outer ring and £1* for the inner ring in the morning even if you were to cross it several times on the same morning.

Weekday Evenings
£1* if crossing the Inner Ring out-bound, (away from Manchester city centre), between 4:00pm and 6:30pm
£1* if crossing the Outer Ring out-bound, (away from Manchester city centre) between 4:00pm and 6:30pm
You would only pay £1* for each ring you cross regardless of how many times you cross it on the same evening.
This means the maximum regular users would pay is £5* regardless of how many times a ring is crossed in each charging period.

Vehicles would not be charged at weekends or on Bank Holidays, for travelling around the M60 or if they did not cross one of the charging rings. No vehicles would be charged outside the times currently being considered.
*2007 prices for pre-registered users.
Back to top
Would the TIF make public transport safer?
The key schemes would be designed with safety and security in mind. For example all new interchanges and station improvements would be designed in consultation with the Police. They would be well lit environments. In addition, the TIF strategy would introduce new monitoring across Greater Manchester. CCTV facilities would be improved, rolled out further (including onto new buses) and linked to public address systems at bus and rail stations and interchanges
Back to top