THE M60 will become Greater Manchester's `Berlin Wall' blocking out business and tourism if congestion charges are introduced, protesters have warned.

Campaign group Manchester Against Road Tolls (MART) has now launched an online petition calling for the scheme to be scrapped.

Members of the group, whose campaign is backed by the Association of British Drivers, started gathering the first signatures in Market Street, Manchester, on Saturday.

Spokesman Sean Corker said: "Congestion charging will create an electronic Berlin Wall around Manchester and the M60 will become a barrier that will keep people in and money out."

The campaign launch came the day after a survey showed a massive business backlash against the charge.

The poll of more than 1,200 companies, commissioned by Peel Holdings, showed 80 per cent would vote against the proposal if given the chance in a referendum.

Further findings - revealed in the M.E.N. last week - showed 38 per cent of businesses would consider moving out of the proposed charging zone if road pricing went ahead.

And 78 per cent said they thought it would harm business compared with the rest of the country.

The survey was criticised by the chairman of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, Roger Jones, who accused Peel Holdings of `trying to con' the public.

Motorists who signed the petition told the M.E.N. why they were concerned about the plans to charge peak-hour drivers up to £5 a day in return for £3bn of public transport improvements.

Lorraine McKenzie, from Blackley, said: "It's just a tax on motorists because we're easy targets. The authorities think drivers are the new Bank of England."

Peter Roberts, the man behind a national anti-road pricing petition which attracted 1.8m signatures, was in Manchester for the launch of the campaign.

He said: "Now is the time for the people of Manchester to start the fight back against these toll plans, which destroy jobs and put the city at a major economic disadvantage. Politicians are denying the people of Manchester a voice on this crucial issue and MART is determined to give them their say."

The petition can be found at www.manchestertolltax.com

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