Nottingham is introducing a work place parking levy, which to me makes more sense than the rejected Manchester’s congestion charge: Workplace Parking Levy : Nottingham City Council.

When I worked in Bolton I had work mates who were incensed over Manchester’s congestion charge proposals.  As they would have had to pay it, to get to and from work in Bolton, even though they were not going any where  near Manchester City:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Congestion_Charge What Manchester City Council has done is introduce residents parking schemes.  And the way they are implemented, only act as a tool to tax local residents.  Whilst, not preventing the the ever increasing congestion in Manchester City Centre.  When I raised this issue with Nigel Murphy (Manchester Councillor for the Environment) during the Manchester- A Certain Future, workshop at the MMU (Manchester Metropolitan University).  He informed me, that people who decided to live in the City Centre, did so because they do not need a car, and that as I am a member of the Green Party, I should be in supportive of residents parking schemes.  I did agree with him, that I did not see why people needed to drive, as I have never owned a car, motorbike, scooter or moped.  At the end of the day, the resident’s parking schemes, do not stop congestion.

Good public transport, which people can rely on, is integrated and feel safe to travel, on is what is needed.  Which is the case with Nottingham, especially there far superior tram system.  Which did not displace the train and uses British built trams: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottingham_tram  Nottingham City also led the way with travel plans, with Nottingham City Hospital introducing a travel plan in 1997:  http://www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/AT/Active%20Travel%20Cymru/NHS/Nottinghamcityhospitalnhstrust.pdf  Nottingham paid for this partly from revenue from car parking charges.  I do not know were the revenue from car parking in Manchester goes to.  As I have pointed out in a previous blog: https://patricktsudlow.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/climate-east-midlands-the-regional-climate-change-partnership/ Nottingham was the first City to introduce a plan for climate change, 9 years before Leese and his ‘Manchester – A Certain Future’.  You might of thought, as he comes from the area, he might of learnt how things should be done.

In an earlier