18 days left for c-charge comments

TIME is running out for the public to give their views on the Transport Innovation Fund.

The deadline is Friday, October 10, for those visiting www.gmfuturetransport.com

A postal referendum on the scheme, which will charge people to drive into and out of central Manchester, will be held across Greater Manchester in December.

Supporters of the TIF plan say the congestion charge will pay for a £3 billion investment in public transport, including bringing Metrolink into central Oldham as well as refurbishing train stations.

There would be extra services at peak times and more services operating during early mornings, the evenings and on Sundays.

In Oldham, the changes would mean an Oldham to Middleton service every 20 minutes, a Shaw to Manchester service through Oldham and Middleton every seven minutes during the day, and the Oldham to Manchester service via Moston would run every 30 minutes in the evenings and every 20 during the day on Sundays.

Government funding is in place to bring Metrolink to Oldham along the railway line, but TIF proposes to bring the trams along Union Street into the town centre.

Opponents of the congestion charge point out that the spiralling cost of fuel has already cut traffic levels and ask what benefits trams would bring that are not already provided by buses and trains.