Yes: 27,810        No: 78,565

Turnout: 45.3%

IN Wigan 27,810 voted 'yes', with 78,565 registering their vote for the 'no' camp.

Lord Peter Smith, Leader of Wigan Council and leader of The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), said:

“I am of course very disappointed with the outcome. It is always a huge challenge to win any referendum and this one was always going to be particularly difficult - given the high feelings it has engendered.

“AGMA will consider the outcome of the referendum at its meeting next week.

“The TIF proposals may have been rejected but I am sure the people of Greater Manchester remain united in their desire to see this great city region succeed.

“We will now have to work towards this without the benefit of £3bn investment in public transport which would have given a remarkable stimulus to our economy in these difficult times.

“We can now expect these resources to be re-allocated to other parts of the country including London.”

Lord Peter Smith said: “Businesses will now have to accept that rising congestion on the roads is a cost they will have to bear and factor this into their plans. They will also have to face the prospect of a shrinking labour pool as congestion begins to bite – restricting the number of suitable employees available for any role by as much as 22pc.”

“While we will of course respect the outcome of the vote, I am personally saddened for all those who deserve the best quality public transport, lower bus fares and a safer and cleaner environment to travel across Greater Manchester which would have been delivered by the unprecedented level of investment.

“Despite this setback we will continue to work hard to ensure that Greater Manchester remains at the forefront of innovative thinking as a world class city region attempting to meet the environmental, economic and social challenges of the next decade and beyond.”