Voters Say 'No' To Manchester Congestion Charge

Voters have rejected plans to introduce a congestion charge in Greater Manchester.

The scheme was rejected in all 10 boroughs involved in the referendum, in which more than 1,033,000 million people voted - a turnout of 53.2%.

A majority in favour in at least seven local authority districts were needed for the scheme to get the go-ahead.

The result means the application for government Transport Innovation Fund (TiF) cash will now not go forward, and it could also hail the end of any further plans to introduce similar schemes, given the resounding rebuff by voters.

Graham Stringer MP for Blackley in Manchester a long-time opponent of the scheme said he was "delighted" with the result.

He said: "It's a brave politician that goes forward with such a scheme, unless it is an extraordinarily good scheme that virtually everybody benefits from. It does show there is a hostility to road charging.

"You have to come up with an extremely good scheme whereby you reduce other road taxes if you ever want road pricing by consent in this country.

"I am delighted with the result."

Both 'Yes' and 'No' groups on both sides of the debate waged a massive publicity campaign.

Those against the vote argued the plans were badly thought and it would cost the region jobs.

However the Yes campaign - a coalition of local unions, firms and pressure groups - argued that the region had a once-and-for-all opportunity to get billions of pounds invested in local transport.

Speaking to the BBC, Jane Torrence who supported the change said: "This is a sad day. This was a innovative solution which would have put Manchester in the premier league of cities in the world."

(JM)