Bikes to be hit by road pricing

Charges for bikes are included in pay-you-as-go road pricing plans in the first of 10 towns and cities bidding to introduce schemes across the country.

 

The move is a strong indication that charges for bikes will also be part of the other nine areas’ plans and future national road pricing plans.

 

A spokesman for the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) and the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority said today: “Motorbikes will be charged. It will be less than cars but it’s still to be decided how much less.”

 

Cars will be subject to daily charges of up to £5, excluding weekends and public holidays. The system could be in place by 2012.

 

Under a draft parliamentary Bill published on Tuesday, local schemes should be “consistent and interoperable,” indicating that if one council charges bikes, all will.

Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander has indicated local schemes will also influence any future national scheme.

 

He said this week the decision to extend road pricing nationally will be taken “in the light of further practical experience of local schemes”.

 

Asked why Manchester hadn’t followed London’s example, where bikes are exempt from charges, the spokesman said: “It’s a totally different scheme and a more sophisticated scheme targeting congestion.”

 

AGMA and the Authority will submit their plans to Government at the end of the year in a bid for part of a £3 billion fund for local schemes. The spokesman said that if the bid is successful, “it would be a pilot project which could be rolled out across the UK”.

 

He said: “The proposals will now go out for initial consultation to seek the views of motorists, users of public transport, the business community and other stakeholders.”

 

He added that more information and the facility to respond to the consultation would be on-line soon at:  www.gmfuturetransport.org

 

Over 5000 riders signed an MCN petition on the Downing Street website opposing the charges for bikes on the basis that motorcycling is non-congesting. See the Government’s response in next week’s MCN, on sale May 30.