Congestion charge attacked in Westminster

MPs have hit out at the multi-million pound consultation which could see Rochdale drivers forced to pay rush hour congestion charges.

In a special debate in Westminster last night, Barbara Keeley, the Labour MP for Worsley, said: “It is my firm view that the consultation is not in fact up to the task.”

Ms Keeley told MPs of the list of people who would be hit by the congestion zone being introduced — including parents taking their children to school, carers, patients with hospital appointments, businessmen and students.

She quoted one constituent in the debate who told her: “I find it difficult to understand how we are being urged to forgo cars in preference to a public transport system which at times is poor or is non-existent. I’m putting serious thought into buying a car.”

Households in Greater Manchester are being asked their views on the proposals during the next four months.

But MPs said the £3m exercise — which involves an exhibition bus, public meetings, a website and a glossy brochure for each home — is simply not good enough.

Cheadle’s Liberal Democrat MP Mark Hunter continued the barrage of criticism. He said the scheme was “fundamentally flawed” and that people living outside Manchester believe they are being included in a “laboratory experiment”.

Mr Hunter added that anyone travelling into the city from outside the M60 would pay twice as they drove through the scheme’s two rings. The Manchester congestion scheme will cover 76 square miles and be the largest of its type — compared with the London congestion charge zone which only covers eight square miles.

MPs have pointed out that in London, 80 per cent of workers in the zone already travelled to work by public transport before the charge was introduced.

Currently, Greater Manchester’s 10 councils have agreed a voting system that means if at least seven councils give their blessing, the congestion charge bid would be introduced across the region.