Manchester’s Transport Plan B

13/05/2009 by admin.

Remember there being no Plan B? 

Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon made a surprise visit to Manchester to announce a £1.4bn plan B to replace the Transport Innovation Fund plans which were killed off by last year’s resounding congestion charge No vote.

It will mean that all but one of the stalled Metrolink extensions - to Chorlton, Manchester Airport, and Rochdale and Oldham town centres - will now go ahead. Only the line through Trafford Park will remain on the drawing board.

There will also be a Stockport bypass linking the airport and the A6; a redesigned version of the Mottram by-pass; a guided busway between Leigh and Manchester; a Wigan inner-relief road; park-and-ride across Greater Manchester; and more frequent bus routes in the city centre.

The package, which could create 21,000 jobs, will be financed by borrowing against small increases in council tax – Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority’s levy will go up by three per cent for the next six years raising the council tax by about £2 a year – and the government bringing forward the Regional Fund Allocation.

And Greater Manchester’s 10 councils have agreed to hand over 40 per cent of the government money they receive individually for transport.

Manchester Airport will contribute to the costs of building the line there and revenue from Metrolink operations will also be used. The government will provide around £165m for the Stockport by-pass.
Mr Hoon said:  “I’m grateful for all the work that Association of Greater Manchester Authorities have done to develop these plans and I welcome these proposals to bring forward £195m of government funding to improve local transport in Greater Manchester.

“The Ashton and East Didsbury tram extensions, bus improvements around Oxford Road and park and ride schemes will make a real difference to the residents and economy of this great City.”

Lord Peter Smith leader of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities which brokered the deal, said: “We have agreed unanimously a priority programme of public transport and highway schemes with funding from national, regional and local sources which will deliver not only £1.5bn of transport improvements but will also generate the maximum impact on the economy.  The package will also generate social inclusion and environmental benefits.
“Coming up with the proposals involved some hard choices, they provide clear evidence of what strong City leadership can achieve and represent a real step towards ensuring that Greater Manchester has the transport system it needs to support its role as a world class City Region.  We particularly welcome the Secretary of State’s announcement today of the accelerated transport package.

“This will ensure we can continue the momentum of the tram extensions to new areas, deliver important bus improvements in the Regional Centre and more park and ride facilities.”

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