The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) announced changes to the planned congestion charging, which will help some couriers.  The Congestion Charge referendum voting papers go out today, and it is being both strongly backed and strongly opposed by various segments of the community.

One of the biggest issues for couriers, the freight and haulage industry, and other commercial users was the fact that the Trafford Business Park fell within the congestion charging zone.  Changes proposed by the AGMA last week mean that the Trafford Park has now been granted a 100% exemption from the congestin charge, which is good news for all, and particularly the many packaging, logistics, couriers and parcel delivery companies based there.  APC, Business Post and Europa all have depots in the Trafford Park, and the costs that the charge would make on the large numbers of couriers and parcel delivery companies entering these premises every would have been prohibitive.

The AGMA are also proposing to delay the charging of commercial vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, this gives the operators of the scheme a chance to see the benefits before implementing such a hefty levy on freight and haulage businesses based within the congestion charging zone.   The FTA has backed this delay, but still feels that more strategic view needs to be taken.

Manchester plans on ploughing the money from the congestion charging into improving the public transport network.  The vote, which runs between now and 11th December has had fluctuating support, with an indicated 53% support in favour in August 2008 turning into a 2:1 against the congestion charge only last week.  No doubt the current economic climate means that businesses within the zone will be worrying about possible reductions in customers and sales, whilst the last thing that private individuals will be voting for will be an increase in their weekly household expenditure.

Edinburgh voted in 2005 against a £2 a day congestion charge.  And currently London is the only city in the UK that has sucessfully implemented and extended a congestion charging zone.