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Just say no!

MIDDLETON will be the 'most affected area in the borough' if controversial plans for congestion charging are brought in, the leader of the council has admitted.

But despite this Councillor Alan Taylor gave his support to plans, which could see motorists charged up to £6 a day to drive on some local roads, at a key meeting on Friday.

This week the Middleton & North Manchester Guardian is launching a campaign to say an emphatic 'No' to the proposals, potentially a £2,000 a year pay cut for workers who have no choice but to use the so-called 'charging corridors'.

The Guardian will be collating a petition to give transport bosses a true picture of local feeling before a bid is made for funding in July.

And all you have to do to join the fight is complete the attached coupon and return it to our Fountain Street office.

Middleton drivers are set to be hit hard with proposals to make Rochdale Road one of 15 'charging corridors' which could cost up to £6 a day to use, in addition to charges for accessing the city centre.

Nonetheless, Cllr Taylor together with leaders of the other nine councils which make up the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), voted to drive forward the plan.

The meeting at which the decision was announced took place in Bury, less than 100 yards from the town's bus and Metrolink interchange but every one of the council leaders arrived by car.

Cllr Taylor said this merely demonstrated the poor state of public transport at the moment and an important reason for backing the plan.

Council chiefs hope that by introducing the scheme they could tap into a fund worth up to £1 billion to make bus, rail and tram improvements, including the extension of the Metrolink system to Rochdale.

He told the Guardian his support is conditional upon investment in public transport, the support of businesses, that the economy of Middleton is not undermined and that charging is relevant to where congestion actually is.

He added: "It is vital that Middleton benefits from any congestion charge as Middleton, under the current plans will be the most affected area in the borough and that means significant investment in public transport.

"The new bus interchange is welcome, but we need to continue to dramatically improve transport locally."

But Blackley MP Graham Stringer has hit out at the plan, branding it "neither financially viable nor practical" and gave his support to the Guardian's campaign against what he calls an "unfair tax".

Mr Stringer said: "I think it is unfair of the Government to make it a condition of Metrolink funding that people who are using Manchester's roads are expected to take a salary cut of between £1,000 and £2,000.

"There is no evidence this is going to help the economy.

"If we believe in road pricing, the government should try this on the motorway system and not use the people of Manchester as guinea pigs."

See below for more, and to see a map of the routes that could be affected throughout Greater Manchester.

• CLICK on 'Submit your comments' below to add your name to our online petition against the plans - fill in the form including your name, location, e-mail address and any comments you wish to wait.

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