VOTERS across Greater Manchester have overwhelmingly rejected plans that would see congestion charging introduced. Every borough in Greater Manchester voted 'no'.
The referendum into whether the region should proceed with the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) bid has returned a ‘no’ vote against the plans.
The rejection will be roundly celebrated by the thousands of Guardian readers who have supported our 'No' campaign over the last 18 months.
Across Rochdale 155,830 returned their voting slips, which is 50.8 per cent of the population registered to vote - the seventh highest turn-out from the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester.
It comes after months of fever-pitch debate over whether the TIF bid – the scheme to invest £2.8bn in public transport in return for the introduction of a pay-as-you-drive scheme – was acceptable to road users.
The result, declared today (Friday) at a packed Exchange Hall in Manchester Central, now leaves the future of the TIF bid in peril as one of the four ‘tests’ that the TIF bid needs to pass to go forward is to show it is acceptable to the public.
Although the result of the referendum is not binding, seven out of the 10 councils in Greater Manchester need to back the TIF bid to move forward.
The 10 council leaders that form the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) are set to meet next Friday (19 December) to confirm the result of the referendum.
If, as expected, the 10 council heads vote in the same way as their electorate, not enough councils will back the bid to reach the required number of supporters.
Councillor Colin Lambert, Leader of the Labour Group on Rochdale Council said: "The people have spoken and now everyone must respond to their decision.
"The referendum was full and fair and the people have shown they were opposed to the congestion charge. We are glad the people have rejected it."
Paul Rowen, MP for Rochdale said: "Having called for a referendum, we must accept the decision of the people. They have quite clearly spoken against these proposals across Greater Manchester. I don’t think the current economic climate helped as people are watching their pennies.
"Despite this decision, we still have problems with congestion and we now need to look at other solutions including improving a dramatically under funded transport system. This will of course mean that we need to look at other ways of funding the crucial Metrolink from Rochdale through to our town centre and the other crucial transport services we need."
Alan Taylor, the Council Leader said, "It is the job of any Council Leader to put forward proposals they think will benefit our Borough. That is what we have been doing and the people of this Borough have decided against it. I accept that and will now look at other ways to improve public transport."
Jim Dobbin, MP for Heywood and Middleton, said: "This is a historic occasion across Greater Manchester and now we have got to respond to the referundum."
Middleton councillor Mike Holly said: "This is a historic day for Middleton, Rochdale and Greater Manchester."
Councillor Irene Davidson, deputy leader of Rochdale Council, said: "I have spoken to the leader of the council (Cllr Alan Taylor) and he is disappointed, but the people of Rochdale have spoken."
We’ll be updating the website with further results and reaction as it comes in and we will be providing you with comprehensive coverage of the result and what it means for you in next week’s Rochdale Observer.
Here is a breakdown on how the 10 boroughs voted;
- Manchester yes 43,593 no 113,064 rejected 250
- Rochdale yes 17,333 no 61,686 rej 118
- Bolton yes 20,529 no 76,910 rejected 167
- Bury yes 16,563 no 64,001 rej 94
- Salford yes 14,603 no 79,326 rej 105
- Stockport yes 24,090 no 103,706 rej 169
- Tameside yes 16,323 no 83,105 rej 124
- Trafford yes 20,445 no 83,568 rej 142
- Wigan yes 27,810 no 78,565 rej 132
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Most recent user comments 5 of 5
Paul Rowen states that we still have "a problem" with congestion: You bet we ****** well do!! I look at all of the roadworks that caused travelling misery for hard-working Rochdalians over the past few years - Sudden, Whitworth Road, Kingsway). Every single one of them has made an absolute mess of things.
This is the root cause of Rochdale's congestion. Either somebody is incompetent on an epic scale or the cynic in me says that "In order to have a congestion charge, first you need congestion"! If anyone from Rochdale Council reads this then I'd be interested in their comments as to how millions spent on junctions has turned the place to gridlock.
And as to the town centre: a Metrolink won't save the place. I don't shop there because it's a dump, full of lowlife, drunken youths, pound shops, pawnbrokers, take-aways etc. I can walk to Rochdale, but instead I drive to Bury because it's not a filthy stinking cesspool. And I say that as a lifelong, proud Rochdalian.
So I say to you: Rochdale planners have created this mess and this congestion: your heads should roll. If I did my job so incompetently then I'd lose it, and rightly so. If you had any spine you'd resign, but I daresay your snouts in the trough, copperbottomed pensions etc will make you think otherwise. Disgusting.
And Paul Rowan: I voted for you and you won't be getting my vote again after your backing of this ridiculous fiasco; you've shown yourself to be absolutely out of touch with the needs of your town - shame on you. Time for deselection methinks. Rochdale's next LibDem candidate had better be someone a bit more in touch.
15/12/2008 at 11:08 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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The Rochdale Propaganda was shameful, "Local Matters" glossy drivel pushed though every household with RMBC Chief Exec Roger Ellis telling us what we should think...or else...
As for Rochdale Town Centre, the truth is that the Metrolink Big Bang was a lot less certain than suggested by the Yes Campaign anyway. Now it is a damp squib. So why the need to knock down the old bus station and create an interchange 50 yards over the river (so the trams don't damage the old covered bridge).
Lets save £20,000,000 by not having something we don't need (and certainly won't really benefit Rochdale). Refurbish the existing bus station (and car park).
Or is this part of a shady land deal to sell council and GMPTE owned land so that they can cash it in to property speculators then lease back something new and shiny (at a rip-off 30 year PFI rent)?
Even though the commercial private property market has collapsed and there is no demand yet more retail and new office space, the powers that be in Rochdale will still want to push this forward. A new public/private 'transport interchange' and service delivery centre (bus station and counicl office to you and me).
Even though it doesn't make any economic sense whatsoever, the unaccountable executive officers who run Rochdale will keep pushing this through. You will only read about it in glossy brochures and slippery press releases that leach out as so-called news.
Why are they doing this to Rochdale? Vanity? Pig headedness?
The Congestion Charge referendum was a clear example of how detached the senior executives (and their compliant politicians ) are detached from reality and the hard working, tax paying electorate.
WAKE UP ROCHDALE !
15/12/2008 at 10:42 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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12/12/2008 at 17:17 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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12/12/2008 at 13:29 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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Leave now and take you Lizzy with you.
12/12/2008 at 13:05 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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