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C-charge rebel attacks referendum wording
by Adam Derbyshire22/10/2008
REBEL MP Andrew Gwynne has attacked the wording of the referendum question on congestion charging.
The draft question to be asked in December’s referendum does not mention the congestion charge.
Instead voters are simply asked: Do you agree with the Transport Innovation Fund proposals?
The voting papers will contain brief details of the £2.75bn public transport improvements in return for weekday peak-time congestion charging.
Denton MP Mr Gwynne spoke out after it emerged more than half of residents in Tameside were not even aware of the public consultation during the summer.
A telephone poll of 500 people in Tameside, by independent pollsters Populus, showed 51 per cent of those surveyed did not even know it had taken place.
In total, only 11 per cent had taken part, according to the poll.
Mr Gwynne said: "Given that the towns of Denton and Audenshaw will be the most directly affected by this proposed congestion charge scheme, it’s crazy that people are being asked to vote for something they haven’t been informed about. The current suggested question: Do you agree with the Transport Innovation Fund proposals? is unbalanced and full of jargon. We need to have clearer language so people know what they are voting for."
Last month Mr Gwyenne said he would vote against the proposals unless changes are made.
The poll was commissioned by business alliance the Greater Manchester Momentum Group.
A spokesman said: "We feel the question itself — not just the introduction — must make clear reference to both the transport improvements and the congestion charge and the language must be clear.
Sir Neil McIntosh, the returning officer who drew up the question, said: "Both the preamble and the question will be on the ballot paper and should be read together. This will become clear when I submit my recommended ballot paper design to the AGMA executive board on 31 October."
Most recent 2 of 6 user comments
It should also be noted that Sir Howard Bernstein has previously ststed that bus and tram fares will have to rise to help pay back the loan, so even those who change to public transport will be no better off.
"The remainder of the proposed investment in public transport will have to be reimbursed through increased fare revenue from extra trains, trams and buses." Crains, 23rd July 2008 http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080623/FREE/564728982/-1/toc/-/-/tif-will-stop-spiral-of-decline
25/10/2008 at 13:42
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Maybe if he'd spoken up sooner his cohorts wouldn't have got this far down the line with these crazy plans.
I'll be interested to see how many 'NO' leaflets Mr Gwynne delivers.
28/10/2008 at 11:41