Richard Baum

Once again last night the Labour party in Bury used their opportunity to question me as Passenger Transport representative to to claim that Lib Dem objections to congestion charging is putting at risk much needed investment in public transport.

And once again I stated the truth in response, which is that Lib Dems support the investment, but not the tax.

Labour Councillors Byrne and Boden suggested in their questions to me last night that it is Bury Liberal Democrat opposition to the congestion charge which is threatening the investment which we have bid for from the Transport Innovation Fund (the TIF bid).

This is simply wrong.

We have always believed that the government should use the tax we’ve already paid to adequately fund public transport, and plug the £3bn gap we’ve all identified.

They won’t, and insist on congestion charging, which we oppose as unfair, divisive and utterly unacceptable.

They are using our tax money for their pet projects – replacing Trident, building new nuclear power stations, and ID cards – rather than for what we want and need – better public transport.

The government have promised us up to £1.2bn from the Transport Innovation Fund if we agree to congestion charging. But don’t be fooled by this spin. This isn’t some special “fund” that’s just been discovered. This isn’t like coming downstairs on Christmas morning to find £1.2bn under the tree. This fund is made up of OUR tax money already, and it should already have been spent on the public transport that the government says is important and which it has had eleven years to sort out.

The remaining £1.8bn needed to plug the gap the government has created through non-investment, is to be loaned to us and paid back through congestion charging. Only Manchester will pay the congestion charge, and it will replace nothing. Not road tax, not fuel duty. Nothing. It will be an extra tax. A tax on going to work.

We are all for the investment, which we agree is needed. But we oppose this tax. This will continue to be our stance, as it has been all along. This isn’t just a party political issue, it’s what we believe is best for Bury. Other parties in other Boroughs are of the same mind – Our stance is also the stance of the Lib Dems in Stockport, and the stance of Conservatives in Trafford and Labour in Middleton. Labour in Bury have not said what they think as a group, but continue to snipe at us.

If, in challenging the government on this blatantly unfair extra tax on Manchester, we put at risk the investment, then it is a principle we firmly stand by. It would be a tragedy to miss out on this investment, but we believe that the government should pay for it using the money that the people of Manchester have already paid. We refuse to bow to the pressure of this bullying government, and feel that when it comes to trams, buses and trains we should tell the government where to get off.

The blame for this impasse lies fairly, squarely, and inexcusably at the door of government.

Rick