Firms vote no to c-charge

OLDHAM business were among the 87 per cent of small business owners across the north of England that gave a resounding no to plans for congestion charging in Manchester in a referendum organised by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

The federation timed the announcement so that Labour MPs visiting Manchester for the party’s conference were aware of the depth of opposition felt by the many thousands of small business in and around the city.

In a poll sent to around 10,000 businesses across Greater Manchester, Merseyside, North Wales, North Staffordshire and South Lancashire an overwhelming majority voiced their opposition to the proposals.

The FSB believes the referendum is the strongest reflection yet of the concerns of the region’s small businesses and gives a voice to the thousands of companies outside Manchester unable to vote in the city’s own poll but still liable to be hugely affected by the changes.