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Mark Versallion
Parliamentary Candidate for Stretford and Urmston

02Nov07

CONGESTION CHARGE PETITION

Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman, Mark Versallion, is calling upon residents to participate in The Messenger's poll on Congestion Charging.

Since his selection as the Conservative candidate, which coincided with the Congestion Charge announcement, Mr Versallion has been campaigning against the Labour-backed scheme to charge resident's £5 per day.

He said, "The constituency of Stretford and Urmston will be split down the middle. For example, if you live in Urmston and want to pop into Stretford for five minutes, you will have to pay the charge. The poll currently being run by The Messenger is showing that over 70 per cent of people say no to this scheme and believe it is just another tax. The overwhemling majority of people I have met and spoken to are against it so I don't know where Labour has got its mandate from to force this upon residents and businesses."

Of the ten Councils in Greater Manchester, the eight that are Labour-run are behind the scheme, whereas Conservative-run Trafford Council is against it. Mr Versallion said, "This scheme is forecast to cost £3 billion, and we all now about Labour forecasts... the spiralling costs of the £10bn Olympics, £6bn ID card scheme, the £1bn Millenium Dome, the £400m, up from £50m, Holyrood Building. A criminal waste of money."

"And the frustrating thing is we all know this money would be better spent on police, prison places, youth facilities, schools and hospitals. Maybe then Labour wouldn't have to close Trafford's maternity unit."

You can find The Messenger's Congestion Charge poll at www.messengernewspapers.co.uk/news.

 

13Dec07 UPDATE

Plans to introduce congestion charging in Greater Manchester were thrown into disarray yesterday as a third Council 'opted out' of the controversial scheme. Bury Council have joined LibDem Stockport and Conservative Trafford in vetoing the project. Under rules laid down by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, this means only one more authority of the ten in Greater Manchester has to throw in the towel and the scheme dead will not go ahead.