Congestion Charging on the agenda!

6.47.57pm GMT Wed 24th Jan 2007

Paul Rowen MP and Council Leader Alan Taylor want to see more investment in Public Transport!

The reality of Congestion Charging will be more of reality after Friday, when Leader of Rochdale Borough Council will discuss it at a meeting of AGMA (Association of Greater Manchester Authorities) The idea of Congestion Charging has been inevitable since the announcement of the partial successful bid to deliver the Metrolink to Rochdale. Government Bosses then announced that Greater Manchester could bid for a £400 Million slice of the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) to complete the spur into places like Rochdale Town Centre.

Councillor Alan Taylor, Leader of Rochdale Council said, "I will be discussing this at the next AGMA meeting on Friday, where I will be joined by leaders of all authorities in Greater Manchester. Congestion Charging is a difficult subject but the Liberal Democrats have been consistent in our policy that we would like to see a dramatic improvement in the affordability and reliability of public transport when considering Congestion Charging. I am acutely aware that this will affect commuters out of Rochdale and it is our responsibility to make sure that we bare their interests in mind. I am in favour of a congestion charge in peak times but will be insisting that this money is reinvested in public transport."

Paul Rowen MP, a Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesman said, "There is a lot to do yet but it clear that Congestion Charging has been a success in London in terms of reducing congestion and attracting people onto public transport. The difference in London is that Buses have been re-regulated and are cheap and reliable. I feel that we have been over a barrel with the idea of congestion charging in Greater Manchester as the Government are telling us that to deliver Metrolink into places like Rochdale Town Centre we need to consider congestion charging to have a chance of getting the Transport Innovation Fund Money. We need guarantees that heavy investment in the transport infrastructure in Rochdale and throughout Greater Manchester comes first."