Time’s running out

LAST MINUTE . . . Aileen Johnson, Oldham Council’s director of legal and democratic services, is all set to collect last minute votes.

Only one-third of Oldhamers have cast a vote on road charges — you have until 10pm on Thursday to have your say

TIME is running out for anyone wanting to have their say on the future of transport in Greater Manchester.

Oldhamers have until 10pm on Thursday to vote in the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) and Oldham Council officials are taking steps to ensure every last vote will count.

Arrangements have been made for a ballot box to be available from 7am on Thursday at the One Stop Shop, next to Oldham bus station.

Staff will be on duty to ensure things run smoothly and borough solicitor Aileen Johnson will be keeping a watchful eye on the voting process.

The TIF package involves a series of improvements to buses and trains as well as the introduction of Metrolink services in some areas — in exchange for a weekday, peak time congestion charge.

More than 1.94 million ballot packs have been sent to households across the region. The result will be announced on Friday.

So far, 33.7 per cent of Oldhamers have returned their voting forms — equivalent to 53,661 people out of the 159,328 eligible to vote.

In Rochdale, 30.1 per cent have cast their votes while 37.3 per cent have returned their forms in Tameside, the highest turnout in the region.

Manchester has the lowest turnout with just 23.2 per cent — 79,187 of the 340,730 electorate.

Returning Officer Sir Neil McIntosh said: “The turnout so far, while reasonable, is not as high as we had anticipated.

“The normal pattern in a postal ballot is for a high response in the early stages with a smaller peak just before the deadline.

“Given the nature of this referendum, and the complex issues involved, there was always a prospect that this pattern might not be followed.

“I can only conclude that people are considering the issues and think that there is still plenty of time to vote.

“There isn’t. The risk now is that voters will miss the opportunity to vote.

“Time is running out. My clear message is: don’t delay, have your say.”

Ms Johnson said: “I believe it is everyone’s responsibility to vote on key issues where they can.

“If you are eligible to vote, in my view you owe it to those who in the past fought and died for the right to a free vote on a future they wanted to help to shape.

“I believe totally in the democratic process. However, it only becomes a dynamic visionary people-power vehicle of the future if we all embrace it, and don’t leave it to someone else.

“Nobody can predict the result, but one thing is certain — any ballot papers received after 10pm on Thursday will be too late.”

Meanwhile, Oldhamers have raised concerns that the ballot forms do not clearly explain whether the voter’s cross should be placed in the small box or the larger box surrounding it.

“There were fears that putting the mark in the wrong box could result in a spoilt paper.

But organisers say that as long as the voter’s intention is clear, their vote will count regardless of whether the cross is in the smaller or larger box.