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28th Mar 2024
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Road pricing another tax on small firms

by The Editor at 11:14 01/02/07 (News)
A small business pressure group has warned that the latest plans to deal with congestion on the roads of Manchester will amount to yet another tax on smaller firms unless the local authorities can introduce viable alternatives to road use.
The road pricing scheme will be distinct from a London style ‘congestion charge’ in that it will charge road users by the mile on certain roads at certain times of day, using GPS technology.

Campaigns Manager at the Forum of Private Business (FPB)– and resident of the city – Victoria Carson argued that such a technologically advanced system was a recipe for disaster and that it was unfair to test it on the people of Manchester. She added that it would be Manchester’s smaller firms that would bear the brunt of the cost: "Unlike larger companies that can afford to invest heavily in relocation and transport alternatives, many smaller businesses are reliant upon using Manchester’s road network. Such firms will see their profits shrink for no real benefit."

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John Lewis runs Debdale Metal Powders, a small manufacturing firm in Greater Manchester. He believes that the proposals will cost his business thousands: "It’s difficult to find anything positive for my company in these proposals, they will cost myself and my employees dearly. There is no real alternative to road use in my business, and because of these charges we will certainly be looking at relocation in the future."

Graham Stringer, MP for Manchester Blackley, has been vocal in his opposition to the scheme and the FPB has praised his standpoint. Miss Carson said: "It is heartening that Mr Stringer has chosen to stand up for his constituents on this issue. What we now need to see is more MPs joining the fight against this scheme to show decision-makers that the people of Manchester will not be used as guinea pigs for this scheme."

Miss Carson concluded that viable transport alternatives must be in place before any road charging scheme can be allowed to proceed: "Unless we see a dramatic increase in the quality and reliability of public transport in Manchester, then there is simply no other way to describe road pricing than another tax on road users – people who already pay high taxes on fuel and road tax."

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Susie Hughes
The Editor © Hardhatter 2007

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