Public to decide on congestion charge

Pictured outside Oldham Coliseum urging the public to have their say are Peter Cushing, passenger services manager for Metrolink (right), and Kevin Shaw, Coliseum chief executive.

As predicted by the Evening Chronicle last month, the people of Greater Manchester will decide whether Oldham is to get trams in the town centre.

But if the population of more than three boroughs votes no in a referendum before Christmas, the bid to the Government for more than £3 billion of public transport improvements will be scrapped.

Metrolink will still take over the Oldham loop line but also at stake are a new bus network promising a bus route within five minutes walk of nine out of 10 Oldhamers, yellow school buses, and Oyster-type smart travel cards.

Oldham Council leader Howard Sykes added his vote to a unanimous decision of Greater Manchester’s 10 council chiefs to hold the referendum on the bid — including the congestion charge — before Christmas.

The public consultation which has seen exhibitions and public meetings throughout the borough will continue while officials work out exactly what question to ask in all 10 boroughs.

Last month, Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese proposed a county-wide referendum with the result binding on all 10 boroughs. But at the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) meeting at Bury on Friday, he accepted that it would be illegal.

Instead, he seconded a proposal by Trafford’s Tory leader Councillor Susan Williams to hold the poll separately in the 10 districts and to continue with the bid if at least seven out of 10 boroughs vote yes.

The Electoral Reform Society will be commissioned to conduct the referendum and to approve the question to be asked in the first referendum in Greater Manchester since Britons were asked if they wanted to stay in the Common Market in 1975.

Sir Richard, AGMA deputy leader, said: “If we are going to be taken seriously as a decision-making body, we had better get this one right. If we fluff what is the biggest decision we have ever had to make, we will have no credibility whatsoever.”

And Sir Howard said: “It is an absolute necessity that we appoint an independent scrutineer because people want to be reassured that it is done fairly.




Commuters urged to have say

AN Oldham Central metrolink station could become a reality for commuters and shoppers.

If approved, the £3 billion Transport Innovation Fund would see trams running into the heart of the town centre along King Street and Union Street as well as huge improvements to buses and trains.

Trams would run every six minutes during peak times between Oldham and Manchester with a tram every 12 minutes in the evenings and every 15 minutes on Sundays. The region’s residents are currently being invited to have their say on the TIF package which also includes plans for congestion charging for commuters into the city centre. Visit www.gmfuturetransport.com for more details.