SMALL businesses have launched a rebellion against Greater Manchester's congestion charge plans.

The Forum of Private Businesses (FPB), which represents 25,000 companies employing more than 600,000 people across the country, today urged Manchester firms to 'stand up and speak out' against the plans.

The FPB - and local businesses - reacted after the M.E.N. revealed revised plans for the city centre's inner congestion charge zone.

A petition has now been launched.

The group said the proposed charging scheme would 'seriously impact on small businesses operating in Manchester' and 'encourage entrepreneurs and employees to move elsewhere'.

Spokesman Matt Goodman said drivers making rush-hour deliveries across the two congestion charge zones would be hit hardest.

He said: "This will heap on extra delivery costs and damage the relationships between smaller businesses and their suppliers, not to mention their customers.

"It will also have the effect of driving people away from Manchester city centre to out-of-town shopping centres. It will make Manchester less competitive with other regions and therefore less attractive to businesses looking to set up there. Smaller firms just cannot afford this extra tax."

As revealed in the M.E.N. yesterday, the proposed location of the inner zone runs along Queens Road to the north and Alan Turing Way to the east. To the west the boundary is bordered by Trafford Road, Albion Way, Broad Street and Frederick Road.

Other boundary proposals were revealed but no final decision will be made until the end of a 15-week period of public consultation, which is due to start on July 7.

Revised zone

Transport bosses said the revised zone would mean only a fifth of peak-time drivers would pay the charge. It was also claimed that just one per cent of motorists who drive around the city every day would pay the full £5 charge by crossing both inner and outer zones at peak times.

The FPB also said the needs of small businesses were not considered before the bid for a £3bn public transport revolution in return for congestion charging was submitted to the government.

Businesses said congestion charging would prove costly and disruptive.

Chris Hardman is managing director of the Bacon Factory, a family-run bacon slicing firm in Bury - which is outside both zones.

He said: "We don't want it. It's just another form of tax that is bound to be detrimental to businesses.

"Customers and suppliers are going to try to avoid it at all costs, and they will want to operate outside normal business hours, so it will cost us more money in the long run, trying to accommodate them. It will also cause us problems with our own deliveries."

His brother, Matt Hardman, added: "It could also drive consumers away from Manchester city centre towards other regions and out-of-town shopping centres - especially during normal operating hours, when the charges would apply. It could also force potential new businesses to avoid the city altogether."

If agreed, the changes would only come into force in 2013.

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