Rochdale 'yes' campaign launched

Paul Rowen discusses the bid with John Rodgers and local resident Ken Feven at Rochdale train station earlier this week.

A campaign to persuade the people of Rochdale to say ‘yes’ to a congestion charging scheme in Greater Manchester was launched this week.

Rochdale's 'yes' campaigners will work alongside the regional yes campaign, which will be taking to the streets of Rochdale this weekend.

Lis Phelan, Chairman of The Yes Campaign, will be leafleting and meeting shoppers to communicate the proposed transport improvements for Rochdale.

The controversial Transport Innovation Fund bid would bring trams to Rochdale town centre and see the railway station refurbished, with 300 new park and ride spaces created, while bus services will be extended. Campaigners believe that there will be better provision for cyclists and school children, and safety will be improved across the transport system.

The transport improvements will be part funded by a congestion charge at peak times within two boundaries, one at the M60 and another in central Manchester. Campaigners have stressed that this congestion charge will only be enforced once the majority of the transport improvements are in place.

Lis Phelan said: “Rochdale has always been a great supporter of the new transport proposals and I am very much looking forward to taking the campaign directly to local people. Bringing Metrolink into Rochdale town centre will be a major boost to the regeneration of the town and will attract many new people to work, shop and visit there."
Improvements to bus services will include the Rochdale – Rochdale Infirmary – Syke service running every 10 minutes, throughout the day, Monday to Saturday, and every 30 minutes on evenings and Sundays and the Rochdale – Bamford – Fairfield Hospital – Bury bus running every 10 minutes throughout the day, Monday to Saturday, and every 30 minutes on evenings and Sundays.

A new shuttle service will link Rochdale town centre, Rochdale railway station and Kingsway Business Park, running every 20 minutes during weekdays, while the Rochdale – Greave – Cutgate bus will be extended to Elmsfield and run every 30 minutes during the day, Monday to Saturday, with a new hourly evening and Sunday service.

Rochdale MP Paul Rowen led campaigners to Rochdale Railway Station to speak to evening commuters earlier this week. They handed out leaflets to travellers and discussed the bid with station users, saying that the transport improvements will make their ‘commute’ to Manchester a lot easier.

Paul Rowen said: “We will be voting ‘yes’ in December as we believe that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the alternative is no investment. The majority of travellers were very enthusiastic, but why shouldn’t they be? If the TIF Bid is successful, we will see more carriages, more trains, more parking and safer, cleaner stations. People cannot leave it to others and that is why over the next few weeks we will be hitting the streets and dispelling some of the myths of the opposition.

“Having travelled on the train at peak times, I know the nightmare it can be to get to work. The ‘sardine express’ as the commuter trains have been dubbed, cause misery to thousands. That is one of the reasons why I and my fellow Liberal Democrats in Rochdale are saying 'yes' to the TIF Bid."

Council Leader Alan Taylor said: “I am convinced that once people hear the arguments then they will vote yes. I have been a supporter of the bid because this is a chance of getting the equivalent of 30 years of transport funding in one go. I think that it is a price worth paying for such massive investment.”