In response to Ian Marshall (“Cyclists do help ease congestion”, The Bolton News, November 24) regarding the contentious “Road Charges”, several points are worth mentioning.

Firstly, might I hazard a guess that Mr Marshall does not work in Manchester!

1) If 90 per cent of Boltonians work outside the congestion charge area then Mr Marshall is correct in his assertion that they will not pay, but what of the other 10pc (his figures) who do work in Manchester — have they to just grin and bear it?

2) As proposed, this is an iniquitous tax aimed at a small unfortunate group of working people who will have only two options. They must either bear the cost or change their jobs — what an impossible position for them, especially in today’s difficult financial climate.

3) Having seen the many posters trumpeting the fact that few people will actually pay the charges I am left wondering just why it’s being proposed at all. (The answer, of course, is to pave the way in the public consciousness for further charges already planned).

4) If our public transport system is in such a parlous state (and we can all see that it is) it should be brought up to standard from existing funds as a matter of course and urgency and not introduced by heavy handed blackmail coupled with veiled threats from central Government.

5) Historically governments have been found to be economical with the truth at best or just outright liars. In either case they are not to be trusted as they are past masters at finding a valid reason for not fulfilling a promise. I predict that the agreed funding will fail fully to materialise by the proposed date, due to “volatile economic circumstances quite beyond government control”.

6) This government is trying to be “all things to all men” and so succeeds in doing very little concrete good for anyone. It has taken the “Welfare State” far beyond what was intended by its 1945 Labour government creators and now presides over a culture in which the few work very hard to allow several million the dubious privilege of not bothering to get up in the morning — whilst still providing them with the funds to visit their local pub every weekend (I speak first hand on this as the proprietor of such an establishment). Britain will continue to be a “spongers’ paradise” and will never grow to be the country which many fought to attain 70 years ago.

7) Yes it is a no brainer Mr Marshal — vote no!

Disclaimer: I don’t work in Manchester, I have no affiliation to any political or military organisation, and my views are purely those of ‘the man on the Clapham omnibus’, Mr Smith.

Geoffrey Pidd, Wearish Lane, Westhoughton