C-charge guru gets Obama team call

ADVISERS working for US president-elect Barack Obama are studying Greater Manchester’s controversial Transport Innovation Fund proposals which include the congestion charge.

Transport consultant Jack Opiola, who helped to develop the proposals, has held meetings with members of Mr Obama’s team working to develop a transport policy.

There are more than 3,000 projects in the US which are ready to go, and more awaiting approval.

Mr Opiola said: “The parallels to the Manchester goals are obvious. By investing in transport you create a micro-economic environment of smart choices by individuals.

“These smart choices influence individual behaviour that improves connectivity and competitiveness, which in turn helps to create jobs, strengthens the community, and improves the economy.

“To recover from the financial crisis which began in America, President-elect Obama needs to supply a long-term stimulus to the economy by boosting spending on roads, public transport, and regeneration.”

Mr Opiola, an international transport consultant with Booz and Co, was a central adviser and architect to the development of congestion charging in Manchester’s TIF bid.

He has worked on congestion-charging schemes in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, the USA and London.

As a result of his work in Britain, he said, he was noticed by key people in the Obama campaign and has since been providing input to the strategy team in Chicago, including information about Greater Manchester’s TIF package.

If approved in a referendum next month, the TIF package would charge people to drive into and out of central Manchester to bring trams into Oldham.

Opponents say they cannot understand why trams would make a major difference when buses have failed to do so.