TIF Bid Fails the Acid Test – What now?

by Ernie Buck

When the bad news broke at around lunch time on Friday 12th and I looked at the lamentable number of 'yes' votes in what for a referendum was a reasonable turnout, my immediate reaction was to blame the electorate. “Selfish” and “apathetic” were the terms I used when I passed the individual borough results round to the Party list and GMCC talk. Perhaps I was being a little harsh; why did we loose?

As Christine has said in her post TIF blog, the 'yes' group fought a very credible campaign. We marshalled the facts and presented them clearly and coherently. We had officialdom in the guise of the GMPTA and GMPTE on our side. Our publicity material was excellent. I remember giving out Clean Air materials in Piccadilly Gardens along with F o E; the leaflet with the baby on the front and a face mask was so compelling. “How can anyone ignore this” I thought. During the Tour de TIF we got some 'stick' from both pedestrians and drivers; riding round wearing hi viz vests with 'vote yes' on them one would expect this. But we also attracted a lot of support, much of it from drivers. It was a good campaign. I don't think we could have done any better.

However, set against the generations of propaganda from the motor lobby, the almost universally inculcated car culture, ubiquitous consumerism encouraged by our capitalist system and the general scepticism of the population, with hindsight, the no campaign didn't really have much to do. To slightly mash up the metaphor, they really had a 'downhill struggle'. They cleverly honed in on the Congestion Charge. The words TAX, CHARGE and COST featured in all their literature. Even my 'yes' voter friends and acquaintances were referring to the exercise as the “C Charge Referendum”. Was this unethical? Was this underhand? Well, no, not in a political sense. As we all know the referendum was about 'Transport Infrastructure'. Rightly or wrongly, the congestion charge was simply an incidental part of the package. The voting question was fair. In fact it could've been seen as biased our way as the 'yes' option appeared first on the ballot paper. I bet if the PR spinners on our side could have come up with something really sexy regarding transport infrastructure and planning we'd have used it. But the truth is that it's a bone dry subject. It doesn't get people excited.

So, we can't really blame the good citizens of Greater Manchester. The forces ranged against us are presently just too formidable. We just have to realize that it's going to be a long struggle and keep chipping away at the status quo. Have we got the time? James Lovelock says no. Even Monbiot, who has the knack of graphically detailing the catastrophe, then setting out the solutions, is getting pessimistic about the time scales. As urgent as these issues are, they're global considerations and not immediate things to address in a post TIF blog.

Although it's barely 24 hours since the result, GMCC talk is littered with post TIF analysis, some good, some not so good. The good stuff focuses on the positives to come out of the campaign such as, a greater awareness of the issues, like minded groups of people who came together for the event can stay working together now that the issues are clearer, more congestion will, ironically, encourage people to cycle commute and much more. One contributor reported on a secret cabal of bicycle shop owners who supported the no campaign. They've apparently stock-piled masses of commuter type bikes and are waiting for congestion to get so bad that people are forced into cycle commuting. I'm a bit naïve and haven't yet worked out whether it's a spoof or not, but the idea appeals to me. Rob Raikes, founder and current leader of Bicycle Doctor in Rusholme (Greater Manchester's best known cycle outlet) certainly isn't one of them. He lead one of the Tour de TIF groups, hi viz Yes tabbard and all. It was a little bit of light relief amongst the gloomy posts though.

I'm concentrating on things that I can do; cycling is a large part of the solution to congestion, if only we can persuade enough people to do it. The benefits have been stated and rehearsed ad infinitum – health, cost, environmental – I'm sure readers of this blog are familiar with them. Surveys have elicited that, when asked if they're in favour of cycling, 70% of people responded yes. To the follow up question of whether of not they cycled, most cited the traffic as the main reason why they didn't. Yet statistics show us that cycling is safer than driving and walking. Unfortunately, perception is all. Traffic can be safely dealt with on two wheels if only one knows how. There's an excellent book entitled 'Cycle Craft' written by John Franklin which explains how it's done. It only costs a tenner and could change your life. It's been adopted as the official text for the national Bikeability training scheme. Another good book to read is City Cycling written by Richard Ballintine. He cut his teeth on the traffic in New York but is now domiciled in London. He espouses the same techniques but in a different way.

About eighteen months ago, I was staffing a Green Party stall at an event in Central Manchester when two young lasses came up and said something like “Are, the Green Party. You're a bunch of hypocrites. You all run around in cars”. A gross over simplification of course, but I bet the majority of Party members still own cars. We need to put our own house in order.

I'm on the national register of Bikeability instructors. I spend my working days teaching children and adults how to ride in and with the traffic. I've offered my services to Trafford Greens on a number of occasions. The offer meets with approving nods but, so far, has fallen on deaf ears. If you want to get started on a bike, choose a suitable route for your commute or wants some tips, hints or training on sharing the road with our motorised cousins, I'm available after the Christmas holidays. By the way, this is missionary work for me, so there's no charge. Although a contribution to Trafford Green Party wouldn't go amiss.

Ernie Buck www.thebucstop.net arthriticernie@yahoo.co.uk