AGMA defers decision on toll poll

Congestion charging road marking

A decision on whether or not the people of Greater Manchester will get a referendum on congestion charging has been put back by a month.

Officials from the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) agreed that it would discuss the possibility of a referendum in July, following a meeting this morning (Friday 27 June).

All 10 Greater Manchester council's would have to abide by the result of a vote on congestion charging. At this stage it would appear that any referendum would be binding, so even if one authority was against the scheme, AGMA would go with whatever the majority was across all ten councils combined.

Bury, Stockport and Trafford councils are already opposed to the peak time congestion charge.

£3billion of public transport improvements are dependent on some funding from the charge set to be introduced in 2013.

At the AGMA meeting this morning there was general backing for a referendum but a formal decision will not be made until the next AGMA meeting next month.

The leader of Trafford Council, Sue Williams, said that any Greater Manchester wide referendum should not be binding on those districts that did not want the scheme but, following talks this morning, if a referendum does occur it will bind all the Greater Manchester authorities.

Councillor Williams also suggested that if there was to be a referendum, then there was no point wasting a great amount of money on a consultation exercise.

Many of the region's council leaders suggested that private hire operators should be included in the exemption that was being given to hackney cab operators.

One council leader also suggested that the outer toll cordon should not be the M60, but instead should be the Manchester City boundary.

Reacting to the news that has emerged from this morning's meeting, a spokesman for Manchester Against Road Tolls said: "It is bizarre that the Council leaders have agreed to the TIF proposals proceeding but they have not definitely decided on the issue of a referendum.

"The impression given is that the road tolls plan is to be steam rollered through any obstacles."