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Transport bid costs Manchester nearly £10m

16/08/2007

The congestion charge bid has left Greater Manchester with a £9.8 million bill, it has emerged.

Although some of the money has come from central government, £6.6 million has been bankrolled by the city-region's passenger transport authority, which is publicly funded.

The money was spent on lobbying ministers, obtaining expert advice, creating millions of leaflets and a commissioning a survey of 5,000 residents.

At the end of July, eight out of the ten councils voted in favour of applying for money from the transport innovation fund (Tif) and the following week an official submission was made.

If the bid is successful, Greater Manchester will receive £1.2 billion in Tif grants and a further £1.8 billion in loans, which will be repaid with revenues raised by the congestion charge.

In an interview with Bolton News, Councillor Roger Hayes said: "If it brings in £3 billion in transport improvements, it may prove to be money well spent.

"But if we do not get it or decide we do not want to go ahead with it, it will be money down the drain."

However, Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said that the transport bid is vital if the city-region is to gain control of - and improve - its roads, trains and trams.



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