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Manchester votes against congestion charge, claims ABD

07/05/08

Manchester voters have voiced their opposition to plans to introduce a congestion charge in the city and have elected the Community Action Party, which is backed by the Manchester Against Road Tolls (MART), to office.

In last week's local elections the Community Action Party gained 41.2 per cent of the vote while Roger Jones, Labour MP and backer of the congestion charge, came in third place with 23.2 per cent.

Sean Corker, spokesman for MART and a representative of the Association of British Driver (ABD) in Manchester said: "This result proves beyond doubt that the congestion charge is a cast iron vote loser. When voters are presented with both sides of the argument they are resolutely against the scheme. Transport Minister Ruth Kelly could well have to decide between approving the Manchester bid and keeping her seat at the next election."

Nigel Humphries, ABD national media spokesman, added that the government was trying to make Manchester a "guinea pig" for road charges and had bribed the city by promising to fund public transport with the revenue made.

He said that public transport should be paid for with the "colossal taxation revenue from fuel and excise duty" and that the citizens of Manchester had "shown what they think by voting Roger Jones out".

The proposal for a Manchester congestion charge was unveiled last year by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), reports the BBC.

It would involve charges of up to £5 to drive in and out of central Manchester at the busiest times of day.

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