'Nine out of ten won’t pay' says new Yes Campaign Chairman

Photo: Jan Harwood

The Vote Yes campaign was launched at Rochdale train station earlier this month.

With a message of '9 out of 10 won’t pay', the Yes Campaign for the congestion charging referendum is banking on 'self interest and civic pride' to win the December referendum vote, according to the newly announced Chairman of The Yes Campaign.

Lis Phelan, former manager of the Commonwealth Games bid and director of Manchester’s libraries and theatres, takes up her post today (Thursday 25 September).

Ms Phelan was speaking as The Yes Campaign launched its advertising campaign, with the slogan ‘9 out of 10 won’t pay’.

“I think most people now appreciate that £3 billion will give Greater Manchester a dramatically improved transport system. What isn’t so well understood is that 9 out of 10 people won’t pay any charge and the better transport we will get, will be in everybody's interest”, said Ms Phelan, launching the new poster campaign this morning.

The Yes Campaign advertising shows a range of real people from across Greater Manchester explaining why they won’t have to pay a charge. They include a shopper, a pensioner, a football fan, a train passenger and a mother and child who travel by bus. The campaign also shows a car driver who travels against the flow of traffic and so does not pay a charge.

“I am proud to be leading this campaign” continued Lis. “A successful Yes Campaign will deliver improved quality of life to millions of local people and will support the long-term prosperity of the region. It is an opportunity that simply must not be missed.

“I have been very fortunate to spend most of my working life in Manchester and am extremely proud of the changes we have seen in the region and its continuing economic success. The TIF proposals offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to address two of Greater Manchester’s weak points – an inadequate public transport network and disruptive and unhealthy traffic congestion in the city.

“As it stands, almost every individual and business in Greater Manchester pays a hidden cost for congestion, with goods delayed, commuters stuck in traffic when they could be at work or with their families, over-crowding and delays to public transport and heavy air pollution."

Lis Phelan has an extensive track record in local government, the trade union movement, sport, events, marketing and regeneration.

She was the general manager of Manchester’s successful bid for the 2002 Commonwealth Games and produced the city’s bids for The City of Manchester Stadium and The Manchester Aquatics Centre. Between 1997 and 2001, she was seconded as deputy chief executive of Marketing Manchester, tasked with promoting Greater Manchester across the world.

Since retiring from the post of Director of Libraries and Theatres with Manchester City Council in 2003, Lis has worked closely with one of Manchester’s most respected regeneration specialists and has undertaken work for several Greater Manchester local authorities, the Heritage Lottery Fund and various sports related organisations.