Friday, December 12, 2008

Transport: Cabal of Crafty Curmudgeons are Champions



Don't have the scores on the doors just yet. But turnout overall was 53% and Bury voted 4-1 against. Rather typical as it turns out. Though Bury already have their life-giving tram service and modal interchange. Manchester was naturally the most progressive with a 72-28 split, but still more than 2.5-1 against.

See Manchester Evening News roll over district map and weep.

10 comments:

Dick the Prick said...

Shock - people don't vote for a tax increase. The proposal was arse over tit - it should have been pump primed in some kind of loan. Improve transport and then charge for cars but providing them with a viable, cheap and efficient alternative.

It's not a bad idea it's just bad project management. It is a bit of a shame that it was handled like this. Geez, the British transport system is a bloody joke and any fair criticism of Tory policy to privatize British Rail won't be refuted.

Gosh I get bored sometimes with the bloody complications this country has developed, the lack of forethought.

Did you know Brunel had a gauge of I think 7ft 6 inches but that was dropped because of bribery and corruption. I'm no engineer but if we'd gone with Brunel our trains could hit 250 mph and you could leave your G&T on the table whilst doing your crossword. Uurgh.

Anonymous said...

It's a shame reminds me of Kinnock after 1979, don't be old, don't be disabled, don't need to drive your car and not sit in bloody queues etc.....

Anonymous said...

Any chance you could learn to write in English?

Anonymous said...

If the inner ring actually corresponded with the City Centre, and the improvements helped everyone and not the apparently favoured few, perhaps the vote would have been different.

If they had come up with a realistc, properly thought out scheme and not this mess, I would have voted yes.

Anonymous said...

i thought Stringer was spot on by commenting on the divisive nature of this campaign.
we have a situation where our local political leaders are very detached from the local populus.
Those TIF proposals were the governments vision of how Manchesters transport should be.
we have low calibre local politicians who like sheep carry out the wishes of the government.
we need strong local politicians to come up with local solutions to 2 transport problems.one congestion and the other piss poor local transport system.a solution that recognises peoples financial situation and does not pit drivers against bus users.
we may not have heard the last of congestion charge but we have seen the last of any referenda on the issue

Anonymous said...

If Woolas was still a meager councillor, he would of followed rank and file with the rest of them. It is only because he is an MP he has got away with it.

Ted Foan said...

The whole thing was dreamed up by Prescott (according to him on the Daily Politics - so it must be true). Well, what did you expect? Anything that this buffoon touches turns into a a pile of shite - this is nothing different.

Manchester has led the way in telling the Government to shove it's stealth taxes where the sun don't shine.

Chris Paul said...

Sorry people but where does the Woolas comment come from?

Dick The Prick is actually suggesting ... what the proposals actually were. i.e. do £2.6 ish Billion of improvements then spend the last £0.4 Billion to be able to collect the charge.

But this would've had to have been imposed at that point? Unless the hegemony of drivers and car culture was completely broken.

Anonymous said...

Put the blame where it belongs, on Roger Jones, Richard "There will not be a referendum" Leese and all the others who were not able to come up with a decent plan.

Anonymous said...

Well I am pleased that Salford had the highest percentage of people saying no. Of course, that is all down to me, Cllr. Iain Lindley - remember the name because as the old saying goes "shit sticks".

I am off now to lick Dave Ottewell's bumhole. Ta ra!