TORY transport spokesman Theresa Villiers has accused the government of "blackmailing" councils in Greater Manchester over the congestion charge.
Ms Villiers (pictured) spoke out against road tolls during a visit to the Trafford Centre where she had lunch with representatives of
Peel Holdings
, one of the key opponents of the scheme.
The shadow transport secretary said local authorities were being denied a free vote on congestion charging because the government had linked the scheme with £3 billion of improvements to public transport.
She told the M.E.N.: "This is a decision for local people to take. I fundamentally disagree with the government's approach of linking transport funding to congestion charging. I think that is blackmailing Manchester.
Ms Villiers added: "If a community thinks that congestion charging is the answer to its problems, it should be able to take that decision free of interference from government. That is not the case here."
But when asked if a Conservative government would hand over the cash for public transport improvements without congestion charging, Ms Villiers replied: "It is difficult to say without knowing what stage the project has got to. I can't answer a question which is hypothetical."
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The former MEP had lunch at the Trafford Centre with Peel Holdings but City Council leader Sir Richard Leese made sure she left with a copy of a letter from him to Peel complaining about the company's approach.
The letter says: "I am concerned that Peel appears to be supporting overt political activity, although not declaring so publicly, and does so to promote a false and unsustainable view of the nature of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities' policies."
Ms Villiers, who has risen through the Tory ranks rapidly since first becoming an MP in 2005, also met Coun Roger Jones, Labour chairman of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority who is one of the leaders of the TIF bid.
He said: "I don't think there is any possibility of more money being available from the Conservatives."
Ms Villiers also slammed Network Rail for the shambles over Christmas which saw Manchester's link to London severed for several days because of overrunning engineering work.
She signalled that a Conservative government would change Network Rail's make up so that it worked more closely with the train companies.
And she accused the government of conspiring with the operators to tackle overcrowding by pricing travellers off the railway.
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Villiers hits out at c-charge
January 15, 2008
Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Pete (15/01/2008 at 08:08)
Mike (15/01/2008 at 09:34)
paul teeque (15/01/2008 at 09:39)
If only a mayor could be elected for one of the pro-tolls councils.
Munkey Boy, Audenshaw, Manchester (15/01/2008 at 10:05)
It's an interesting point, and emotive words, but think about the implications before blindly agreeing with her.
Any bit of engineering infrastructure needs to be paid for, so to build the public transport network in GM, we need £3bn.
Does it not make sense that this is generated from those using the transport network? Her argument is it should come from local taxation I assume, from all transport users in GM; #1 this would not have any of the congestion reducing benefits of a congestion charge and #2 would hit lower income families more who have no alternative to not pay it - even if they don't cause congestion by driving into central Manchester!
Peak charges are accepted for many other services (phone calls, rail fares, air travel), why not driving? Suddenly every wants equity!
Paying a charge is very different to blackmail. This argument is about who you want to pay the bill for the infrastructure.
Munkey Boy, Audenshaw, Manchester (15/01/2008 at 10:11)
Just because you agree with Peel's point of view should not make you blind to the principle that corporations should steer clear of political matters.
Chris, Irlam (15/01/2008 at 10:30)
Dave (15/01/2008 at 10:30)
Kurt Stevens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 11:06)
Try telling that to the PT companies who will benefit from TIF - maybe they should shut up regarding their support for TIF as well?
How about EVERYONE has to shut up as as the pro-toll minority only seems to agree with the pro-tolls lobby having a voice in this debate!
Kurt Stephens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 12:07)
If we want to make this £3bn investment in our public transport we have two options.
1) TIF bid which includes re-paying £1.8bn through the congestion charge
2) Borrow £3bn and repay the whole lot through council tax.
I know which I prefer.
Munkey Boy, Audenshaw, Manchester (15/01/2008 at 12:08)
What does confuse me is why Peel are even against it in terms of the Trafford Centre - as I see it they lose nothing (the vast majority of people going to the Trafford Centre won't be charged as it doesn't open until after the morning peak charge finishes, and in the evening only people coming from Manchester would be charged at the inner ring) and yet they gain a Metrolink line right to the Centre. Confuses me.
Pete (15/01/2008 at 12:10)
Here lies the problem - I dont live in either Manchester or Salford, but I work in Salford, so therefore cannot vote these people out. I live in Trafford. The best alternative is for there to be a public vote, then everybody has been given the opportunity to have their say no matter what their political allegiance is or where they live. Of course Manchester Council would label you as a class traitior if you voted against them.
Kurt Stephens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 13:09)
Kurt Stevens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 13:18)
Pete (15/01/2008 at 13:38)
Useful coincidence in my case, but matters not one jot because the decision was made by a small group (who I didnt vote for) claiming to represent the many - but probably tainted with a little political antagonism. What about those individuals in Wigan, Manchester, Bolton etc whoe are opposed and whose opinion is not represented? Indeed what about the pro-toll tax people in Trafford whose opinion is not represented. Let the residents vote.
Kurt Stephens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 13:38)
Kurt Stephens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 13:48)
Did we have a referendum on the widening of the M60 around Sale? How about the completion of the M60 around the East side of the city.
Or even the Olympic bids and the holding of the Commonwealth games - both of which cost local council tax payers money.
Just because you happen to hold an opinion that differs from one that may come to fruition, it doesn't mean that we should change our democratic system.
Paprika, Rochdale (15/01/2008 at 15:17)
Kurt Stevens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 15:47)
Kurt Stevens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 15:52)
Kurt Stephens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 15:54)
Wonder if all those cars queuing down the M56 and A56 were using hydrogen and electric if the traffic congestion would be less?
I somehow doubt it.
Anyway, namesake (very flattering by the way), you have previously suggested that you do agree with Phase 1 of the scheme.
Kurt Stephens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 15:56)
That way you could implement Phase 1 but not Phase 2?
If YOU were in charge is this what YOU would do?
Kurt Stephens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 16:43)
Can she confirm that there would be money to complete the tram network, increase the number of train carriges, provide the yellow buses, increase bus services and re-regulate public transport under a Tory government?
No, she is doing none of the above. Surely, if the conservatives had any inclination of doing so she would have said so, after all that would be a vote winner, getting the improved public transport with no strings would go down very well with the electorate as a whole, but she failed to do this.
Instead, what she has said (reading between the lines)is that the TIF money (the blackmail money as she calls it) should not be available to those cities that deem they need congestion charging and transport improvements, effectively saying that instead of only having to borrow £1.8bn for our improvements, under her plans, if we wanted the full transport upgrade that is planned, we would have to borrow the full £3bn.
Now, can someone please explain why borrowing £3bn would be better than £1.8bn with the other £1.2bn coming from the TIF fund?
Paprika, Rochdale (15/01/2008 at 17:14)
Hydrogen and electric cars even if they get developed still encourage the sort of selfish, Top Gear "me me me" mentality that is summed up by the Whittaker family's mercedes sports car bizarrely exhibited in the Trafford centre. Wow- all that bling, the shoppers should bow down to the creators of the tacky plastic shopping palace.
If you want bling, get a Daimler... with 42 seats!
Kurt Stephens, Sale (15/01/2008 at 17:44)
Timberman, MANCHESTER (15/01/2008 at 19:01)