PRO-CONGESTION charge councillors are planning to build themselves a private underground car park in the city centre.

Senior Labour councillors - who are backing the toll in exchange for a massive expansion of public transport - want to tunnel next to the town hall to provide spaces for the 96 elected members, a handful of top officials and approved visitors.

Ironically the car park bunker, under the Peace Gardens, would be only a few yards from one of Manchester's main tram stops in St Peter's Square. The scheme is part of a £150m plan to carry out urgent repairs to Central Library and the town hall complex.

The Labour group have been branded `hypocrites' for backing a project to build more car park spaces when they are encouraging the public to use more trams, trains and buses.

But Bernard Priest, Labour's finance chief and the man behind the plan, said better parking for councillors was `in the interests of democracy'.

Council officers have been told to draw up detailed plans including the exact size and cost of the car park - expected to run to many millions.

A private Labour group document says it would `provide adequate parking for members on busy council days'.

The news comes as the council is spearheading plans for a peak-hour congestion charge of up to £10 a day in return for £3bn of public transport improvements in the region.

Coun Priest said: "There is a debate going on about whether councillors should be using cars. Councillors would not be exempt from the congestion charge - that would be plain wrong. But when they are coming to meetings, in the interest of democracy, they have to be able to park here free. We can't make people effectively pay to be a councillor.

Problems

"It isn't our intention to have a much bigger car park and we are not even sure at the moment this is feasible. But we don't have enough spaces and that does cause problems."

The proposed car park would be an expanded replacement for Lloyd Street, which is closed to general traffic and used for parking by councillors, top officials and guests.

It would be just yards from the nearest tram station - and Lloyd Street would be pedestrianised for better access to a new customer service centre in the town hall extension.

Simon Ashley, leader of Manchester's Lib Dem opposition, said: "Spending millions on a car park for councillors sends out utterly the wrong message about congestion. This is a complete waste of money."

Faraz Bhatti, Conservative councillor for Whalley Range, said: "This is hypocritical.

"At a time when they want to charge people to come into the city - something I'm sure will destroy businesses - how many millions are they going to spend building themselves a car park?

"There are plenty of car parks near the town hall. It's ludicrous."

Sean Corker, of anti-congestion charge pressure group MART, said he would back the new car park - if it was turned over to Manchester residents at weekends.

"I would support anything that increases the number of car parking spaces," he said.

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