Reaction to congestion charge plan - will the town benefit?

From left: Rochdale Council Leader, Councillor Alan Taylor, AGMA vice-chairman Sir Richard Leese, Transport Minister Rosie Winterton and AGMA chairman Lord Peter Smith

Congestion charging in Greater Manchester will begin in 2013 and part of that money will be used to fund public transport improvements throughout the region. Public Transport will receive £3billion in funding in what has been termed the biggest single improvement and investment in public transport that this country has ever seen.

In a news conference at Rochdale Town Hall the chairman of Rochdale Council and the chairman and vice-chairman of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) were joined by Government Minister for Transport Rosie Winterton to give their reaction to the news.

For Rochdale the Transport Innovation Fund package will see the Metrolink line extended into Rochdale Town Centre and discussions have begun about getting a Metrolink stop at the new Kingsway Business Park.

A new transport interchange near to the current bus station will allow easy access between buses and trams.

Peak time trains will be given extra carriages and Castleton and Smithy Bridge stations will be refurbished, while park and ride facilities will be expanded at Mills Hill.

Improvements will be made to Rochdale train station to include a modernised booking office, improved platform and waiting facilities and 300 new park and ride spaces.

Improvements to bus services will be made across the town, including improved connections to Rochdale Infirmary and the Kingsway Business Park and feeder services to Metrolink stops.

A public consultation on the TIF process will run from 7 July to 10 October. Vice-chairman of AGMA Sir Richard Leese said: "We do not want to jump to conclusions. We will hear what people say in detail and answer their questions and only then
will we come to the final conclusion but I can assure everyone that this is the single biggest improvement to public transport ever made in this country."

However, there have been claims that a public consultation is not enough and that there should be a referendum on the congestion charge and how the TIF money is spent. Rochdale Councillor Ann Metcalfe said: "Having talked to people there are definitely concerns and I think people would sincerely welcome a referendum. I would like to ask the panel now, could we have a referendum and hear what the public are wanting from this."

During the hearing the Chairman of the Rochdale Labour Group, Councillor Colin Lambert said that the town's Labour group would remain against congestion charging: "The Labour Party in Rochdale as a group stood against the congestion charge and that remains our position. Personally I do not drive, I get around by trains and buses and would obviously welcome a massive investment in public transport but I remain unconvinced by the route the Metrolink will take into town and feel we need to have an open debate because we are led by the electorate.

"In Heywood and Middleton we led on the issue of congestion charging and we took a seat back so it goes both ways. The local Local Labour Party will remain against the congestion charge and we are willing to put that to the ballot box."

Lord Peter Smith, chairman of AGMA said in response: "I know that Heywood is not getting Metrolink but they will be getting major improvements in public transport. The people of Heywood will always need to get jobs and future jobs for their children so we need to take responsibility when we get the opportunity to do something about it and I believe that is what we are doing.

"We will ensure that each and every one of the Greater Manchester authorities gets huge benefits from this investment. The £3 billion total investment will make this region a world leader in public transport facilities."

The £3 billion investment is made up of £1.5billion in government funding, £1.2billion in local funding, supported by revenue from the peak time only congestion charge, and £0.1billion in private funding.

Sir Richard Leese highlighted the details of the congestion charge. He said the charge would apply to people traveling into the M60 ring and/or the inner-city ring between the hours of 7.30 and 9.00am and traveling out of those rings between 4.00 and 6.30pm. The charge will not be in place outside of those times and it will not affect anyone traveling within either of the rings.

Transport Minister Rosie Winterton said: "I would like to congratulate Greater Manchester's authorities on achieving this amount of funding. Public transport will be improved massively and the benefits to the local economy and to local people will be huge. My department is looking forward to working with everyone involved to turn this innovation into a reality."

It remains to be seen whether or not people can be convinced that the congestion charge is a price worth paying in exchange for public transport improvements. As they left the town hall, the panel were met by a small gang of protestors to the charge.