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Bury to pull out of congestion charge scheme?

12/12/2007

A third Manchester borough looks set withdraw its support for plans to introduce congestion charging as part of a transport overhaul in the city-region.

Bury may join Stockport and Trafford and pull out of the Transport Innovation Fund (Tif) bid, a scheme that involves millions of pounds of government money being ploughed into the Manchester transport infrastructure.

The government has said the money will only be forthcoming if Manchester councils support a congestion charge scheme. Under the current rules, it would only take one more council to withdraw and the whole project collapses.

Conservatives in Bury have said they are against the Tif bid if congestion charging is included and have tabled a motion for today's council meeting.

Tory councillor Bob Bibby said: "I would not want to see Greater Manchester lose the public transport improvements but the fact is that people are taxed up to the hilt and a lot of them are just saying no to congestion charging."

Following improvements to the Bury and Altrincham Metrolink lines, Manchester transport chiefs are investing £540 million on new lines to Rochdale, Chorlton, Tameside and Oldham.