53pc 'support for c-charge'

Exclusive David Ottewell

August 18, 2008

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THE people of Greater Manchester WILL vote for congestion charging, according to secret polling data obtained by the M.E.N.

A survey of more than 5,000 people shows 53 per cent support plans to use the peak-hour charge to help fund massive investment in public transport.

A total of 40 per cent say `no', seven per cent are undecided.

Crucially, more people support the proposal than oppose it in EVERY ONE of Greater Manchester's 10 boroughs. Council chiefs have agreed the charge will only be brought if it wins support in at least seven in a December referendum.

In return the government will hand over £1.5bn to revolutionise trams, trains and buses - and allow the area to borrow £1.2bn more against three decades of profits from the charge.

The Mori poll is part of a massive £3m consultation exercise.

It shows backing for the deal is strongest in Wigan, with 58 per cent in favour and 36 per cent against. There are also clear majorities in favour in Manchester (56-38), Rochdale (57-39), Trafford (55-38) and Stockport (52-41).

Support is weakest in Tory-run Bury, where 49 per cent say `yes' compared to 46 per cent saying `no'. The majorities are also slimmer in Salford (50-44), Tameside (51-44), Oldham (51-41) and Bolton (51-40).

The figures will put pressure on the Tory leadership in Trafford and Stockport's Lib Dem chiefs. Both have declared strong opposition to the deal, claiming they are reflecting local attitudes. Conservative-led Bury council also wants a `no' vote.

The question was almost exactly the same as it is expected to appear in the referendum.

It says the charge would not be introduced before summer 2013, when `at least 80 per cent of the proposed new public transport' is up and running.

The findings broadly reflect polls carried out by the M.E.N. and GfK NOP this summer.

Both found majority support in favour but experts thought opposition would grow once the `no' campaign started.

They pointed out that in the last congestion charge referendum, in Edinburgh in 2005, 74 per cent voted against.

Supporters of the Manchester deal say the difference is the massive amount of cash that would go into public transport.

Opponents will take heart from the fact that support was `softer' than opposition.

Only 21 per cent said they would `definitely' accept it with 32 per cent saying `probably'. That compares to 27 per cent saying they would `definitely' reject the deal and 14 per cent saying `probably'.

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dessie, manchester (19/08/2008 at 07:21)

AND IM PRETTY SURE THE POLL WAS FUDGED, BECAUSE I HAVE TALKED TO MOST PEOPLE IN MY COMPANY AND OUT OF SAY 50 PEOPLE ONLY ABOUT 5 SAID IT WAS A GOOD THING!!

Simon B, No Taxation without Representation (19/08/2008 at 07:23)

Well, I am not concerned by this survey.

Knowing how last years survey was done, the questions asked, the method used to get the answers, the people contacted, the whole thing will have been designed to get the answers AGMA/GMPTA/E wanted to justify their TiF bid.

They have simply learned their lessons and constructed this survey better.

There will not have been many straightforward questions in the whole survey, and there will not have been any straight yes or no answers, it will have been something like this below.

1 you agree fully with this statement

With number 5 being, you strongly disagree with this statement.

1 through to 3 will have been counted as yes.

A friend of mine was one of the people contacted last year and was very heavily pressured and badgered over the phone to give positive answers; he resisted and kept himself firmly negative, but the interviewer tried very very hard to get yes, I was very surprised at how hard the interviewer tried.

Very importantly, this survey will have been designed, before the decision to have a referendum was made.

(wetsocks), Manchester (19/08/2008 at 07:28)

"The question was almost exactly the same as it is expected to appear in the referendum."

So it was something like "Do you want lots of busses and fluffy kittens?" then...

shayla (19/08/2008 at 07:28)

53 pc support for road charge.

Get to the polls!

I have never met anyone, anywhere who supports the charge.

We need someone to make sure they don't manipulate the figures at the vote though.

The sooner we vote, the sooner they will stop wasting our money.

Bean B4, manchester (19/08/2008 at 08:09)

I have yet to speak to literally anyone who thinks its a good idea.

Polky (19/08/2008 at 08:13)

"The findings broadly reflect polls carried out by the M.E.N. and GfK NOP this summer."

Which MEN poll was that? The one with 81% against the charge or another one?

And the difference between Manchester and Edinburgh is that in Edinburgh the media saw through the lies and sided with the public.

Chris, Irlam (19/08/2008 at 08:27)

So an MEN poll claims we all want the Toll Tax.

I'd give it as much notice as I would a poll run by AGMA - zero.

So we will back the Toll Tax will we?

Really?

Bring on the referendum - then we will see.

curiousyellow, Rusholme (19/08/2008 at 08:28)

where do they get these 'facts' from????

PW, Manchester (19/08/2008 at 08:35)

Hype. The figure will be at least 75% against.

Tameside Blue, Tameside (19/08/2008 at 08:37)

Interesting what you can make figures do. The headline says 53pc in favour. But in small print right at the bottom, it says that only 21pc will definately accept it while 27pc will definately oppose it.

I wonder where they did this poll. No one asked me !!!

No to the CONgestion charge

Edina Clouds, GREAT Manchester (19/08/2008 at 09:01)

lies,damned lies and statistics!
I know dozens of people and not ONE of them support this ludicrous tax.
BTW to anyone living in Tameside Denton West....we are having our bus services CUT!

A Bus Driver (19/08/2008 at 09:08)

He he he Bring it on...... and not long now before we hear the same old arguments again and again and again......yaaaaaawwwwwwwwn lol

DaveB, Manchester (19/08/2008 at 09:16)

Anybody supporting this con charge should read the following article http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/24/2495.asp showing that it has made absolutely no difference to traffic levels in London and has been nothing other than a revenue generator. Vote this in at your peril and pay more for the same - bit like the last 10 years of this government actually.

we deserve better (19/08/2008 at 09:21)

I wasn't aware the referendum question had been decided? (Wouldn't surprise me if different questions were being showcased to see which got the better response?)

Does anyone know what the question is or likely to be?

If the question has been decided, why all the secrecy? When will we find out?

How does the 'NO' campaign get access to the public consultation money? How much would be available to them?

The article says more than 5000 people were polled, I would expect distributed equally between the 10 boroughs. Just over 500 people per borough and we’ve no idea what the sampling criterion was. You see where I’m going.

Jay B, oldham (19/08/2008 at 09:23)

it was that secret i didnt know about it! thats whythe no's seem very small.

Dinny, Manchester (19/08/2008 at 09:36)

As a person that lives in Prestwich and works in Manchester City Centre I have not been asked to vote neither had I had the package delivered to my home!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who takes part in these so called polls??????????????

ghostrider, Derbyshire (19/08/2008 at 10:06)

never in this world has this been voted FOR. The people are not THAT stupid as to vote for road charging. The roads have ALREADY been paid for !!!! Just yet another cynical stealth tax

AngusDangus (19/08/2008 at 10:34)

Just how much longer are we going to allow the Scottish to dictate how we live in England.Scotland soon gave to boot to congestion charging but the Scots running England are determined to get National Road pricing.

David Macaulay (19/08/2008 at 10:36)

But what was the question people were polled on?
If they were asked if they wanted £3B spending on transport in GM in return for a congestion charge on 10% of peak hour drivers from 2013 then more would answer yes thinking it would not affect them. They would not think of the crippling effect on businesses in the city and surrounding area, the extra cost of the tax being passed on to customers using heir goods and services, or the difficulties that would be experienced by lower paid workers who have to use their cars at peak times.
I suppose the poll was so "secret" that the loaded nature of the question was not and cannot be revealed.
Obviously the Con-charge proponents will deceive and cheat whenever they can to try and misrepresent the popularity of their blatant tax proposals.

Ace Shakepseare, manchester (19/08/2008 at 10:40)

53 percent is a fraud.The voters are being shafted once again.

Richy007, Manchester (19/08/2008 at 10:47)

I was under the impression that the media are supposed to be impartial and just report, I have always thought the MEN was pro the charge it begs the question what is in for you?..................... the mystery poll of 5000 who? of what area?

cheshire1 (19/08/2008 at 10:49)

Statistics, statistics ......
You can make them mean anything you want.
I'm sick of this propaganda!

Laura Norder, Didsbury (19/08/2008 at 11:00)

I think the gap between the supporters, and the opposition of the scheme, will be even greater... indicating that most people do have the brains they were born with.

And to (mis)quote Delia Smith: 'Let's be 'avin' it'!

d1v1s1onby0, Wigan (19/08/2008 at 11:02)

Mugabe could learn a lot from the way results get manipulated here

JoeStalin,Gorton (19/08/2008 at 11:02)

This story is the best work of fiction since Tolkein's "Lord of the Rings". The people that were polled were asked "Do you think the councils should accept this offer from the government or not?". They were not asked, "do you support the congestion charge". Why would someone from Wigan give a damn about whether we get charged to drive anyway. It's like asking us Mancs if we want Scoucers to pay to drive into Liverpool. Of course we do :) Wigan is actually almost as far from Manchester as Huddersfield and Barnsley. Are we inviting them to vote on our fate also? No wonder that idiot in charge of the council wanted a total vote count. On the day of the referendum, I beleive people will understand what they are being asked more clearly and it will be a resounding no in Manchester by 80% to 20%. Some undecided people may even vote spitefully against it if they think they are being tricked by the wording of the question.

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