Rochdale MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Group on Light Rail, Paul Rowen has hailed the Transport Innovation Fund Bid as a 'once in a lifetime opportunity'. Mr Rowen was speaking after the decision by Ruth Kelly, the Secretary of State for Transport to approve the bid.
Mr Rowen said: "This bid is hugely exciting for our Borough but has split politicians. For example, the Labour Group on the Council is against the bid, but the Parliamentary spokesperson is for it. We must though use the next few weeks to have a debate on the benefits of the bid and stick to the facts. This includes the massive investment that will lead to the completion of Metrolink into our Town Centre, the improvements to Railway Stations like Smithybridge and Castleton, the extra 300 parking spaces at Rochdale Railway Station, modernising the booking office and improving the CCTV, dramatically improving our bus services and much, much more.
We need to look at the facts though like the fact that any congestion charge will only be at peak times. This is London-style transport funding and means unprecedented investment in our buses, trams and trains. It will improve services across the board and the peak-only charge in my view is a price worth paying. People also need to be aware that any charges will NOT be implemented until the majority of these transport improvements are carried out. I hope that this debate can be sensible and that anyone currently opposed looks very seriously at the benefits for Rochdale. I will be producing my own fact sheet that details the benefits for Rochdale and looks at congestion charging and any effects on Rochdale."
Rochdale Transport spokesman, Councillor Zulfiqar Ali said: "This bid is designed to cut congestion and get people out of their cars. The fact is that people currently have no alternative but to get into their cars. This is a wholesale improvement of public transport. It is the best package offered ever offered and is decades of investment - all in one go. Congestion charging will not be introduced until the summer of 2013. That leaves us years to make these exiting improvements to our transport system. I will be working on the Transport Authority to ensure we get the best for our Borough!"
FACTS ABOUT THE BID: