Council demands changes to C-charge boundary

OLDHAM Council is demanding that the congestion charge boundary is changed to save many workers, businesses and families from having to pay.

If the controversial scheme is given the go-ahead, the M60 will be the outer ring, with anyone crossing it at peak times paying up to £2.

But under proposals outlined by Howard Sykes, the leader of Oldham Council, the boundary would be positioned far enough south of the motorway to allow for journeys within Hollinwood without having to pay.

He said it had become clear the proposal to use the M60 as the outer ring would create numerous difficulties and anomalies for hundreds of people within the borough.

It would mean traffic to and from Oldham’s Greengate industrial area, which has to cross the M60 to get back into Oldham, and a park and ride facility at Hollinwood, would be charged.

But the amendment would mean a line broadly following Mersey Road North, Tweedale Way, Hollinwood Avenue and Victoria Avenue to Greengate.

It would also remove any confusion that drivers wanting to get access to the M60 from the outer areas would have to pay.

Councillor Sykes said: “We have always recognised the only way in which the congestion charge could be introduced without any impact on Oldham would be for it to be on the Oldham-Manchester boundary.

“So anything based somewhere near the M60 is bound to have an impact on us. The proposals we are putting forward are intended to reduce that impact to a minimum.

“The whole purpose of the charging policy is to reduce peak-hour congestion clogging up the main roads in to and out of Manchester.

“It has never been the intention to penalise Oldham families and businesses who happen to live or operate on the Manchester side of the M60.”

The proposal will now be be discussed with officials at Greater Manchester’s transport authority.

The congestion charge is part of a programme that would release up to £3 billion, under the Transport Innovation Fund, in the biggest-ever transport improvement programme for Greater Manchester — including bringing trams into Oldham town centre.

Oldham Council has launched an information campaign ahead of the December 11 referendum.

Opponents of the congestion charge say spiralling petrol prices have already cut traffic and they ask what benefits trams will bring that are not already offered by buses and trains.