Manchester took a step in the right direction today when it chose to say no to the congestion charge.  The early stats say that of all the people eligible to vote 53% returned their ballot papers, with a whopping 78% of them voting ‘No’.

Although my fellow Mancs said no (as did I) I think we can all agree that there is still a problem and it is only going to get worse.

Now I was all for the plans for the public transport proposals tabled for this referendum, I was just against paying for it via another tax on motorists which I believe unfair.

Although representatives from the ‘Yes’ campaign say that this was the only option, and now that Manchester has decided on a ‘No’ vote then the plans for an overhaul for public transport infrastructure is dead, I have to disagree.

You see I think there is a way to raise the money.

I think that as a region we should whack up speed cameras on 75% of our major roads and motorways in Greater Manchester.

Now don’t shout, bear with me and hear me out!

Many anti-speed camera campaigners have said for a long time that these things don’t act as a deterrent to speeding and that they don’t always have an effect on road safety.  Well that’s fine, because what they have proved to do for as long as they’ve been in existence is provide a steady stream of income for the Government,and not chump change but multi-millions.

So, if we put speed cameras on 75% of the GM roads then the revenue stream from this would go a very long way towards fulfilling the requirements of the proposed public transport plans.

This way only people breaking the law (ie speeding) will be paying for the benefit of all, and not just another tax on already hard-hit-in-the-pocket motorists.

Now I’m pretty sure AGMA don’t read this blog (does anyone?!), but surely the brightest minds in the UK can come up with a way to save the public transport plan without taxing all the motorists of Manchester on a daily basis.

Think outside the box people and do the jobs we voted you into office to do!

OK, that’s my two-penneth, you can leave yours in the comments section.