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Press Statement from the Greater Manchester Association of Trades Union Councils 16th July 2007 - Congestion Charging in Greater Manchester
Reporter: Ask Bury
Date online: 17 July 2007
The Greater Manchester Association of Trades Union Councils (GMATUC) has given its broad support to the objectives of the GM Future Transport strategy put forward for consultation by the GMPTA.
GMATUC believes that the GMPTA proposals are a step in the right direction towards a publicly owned and democratically controlled integrated transport system, which the region badly needs both from the point of view of environmental benefits and the need to attract capital investment to its deprived areas.
Our support is conditional on the promised improvements to public transport in advance of the introduction of congestion charging actually materialising. The GMPTE is confident that this will be the case, however we remain sceptical that this will be delivered as long as the buses and trains are operated by private sector companies. For the strategy to succeed, the GMPTA must be in a position to resolve the disparities in transport choices which currently exist within the region, and the shortfalls in capacity, reliability and safety which have been highlighted by many working people during the consultation must be addressed.
GMATUC recognises that the congestion charge proposal is controversial when considered in isolation. However we believe that the GMPTA - with the right kind of support from central government - is capable of resolving the anomalies which would unfairly penalise workers and businesses.
We therefore urge the local authorities and the general public to support the GMPTE's proposed bid for investment funds for the Future Transport strategy.
GMATUC believes that the GMPTA proposals are a step in the right direction towards a publicly owned and democratically controlled integrated transport system, which the region badly needs both from the point of view of environmental benefits and the need to attract capital investment to its deprived areas.
Our support is conditional on the promised improvements to public transport in advance of the introduction of congestion charging actually materialising. The GMPTE is confident that this will be the case, however we remain sceptical that this will be delivered as long as the buses and trains are operated by private sector companies. For the strategy to succeed, the GMPTA must be in a position to resolve the disparities in transport choices which currently exist within the region, and the shortfalls in capacity, reliability and safety which have been highlighted by many working people during the consultation must be addressed.
GMATUC recognises that the congestion charge proposal is controversial when considered in isolation. However we believe that the GMPTA - with the right kind of support from central government - is capable of resolving the anomalies which would unfairly penalise workers and businesses.
We therefore urge the local authorities and the general public to support the GMPTE's proposed bid for investment funds for the Future Transport strategy.
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