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THE PEOPLE VOTE 'NO' ON CONGESTION CHARGE
Stretford and Urmston's Parliamentary Candidate, Mark Versallion, has welcome the result of the congestion charge referendum.
Cllr Versallion said, "The people voted 4 to 1 against the scheme which would have seen people paying up to £5 a day to drive in and out of Manchester, the boundary of which would have run right through this constituency."
The results of the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) referendum were announced today, showing that a majority of voters in every one of Manchester's ten boroughs voted against the plans. Overall the results were 813,000 (79 per cent) against the scheme versus 219,000 (21 per cent) in favour with a total turnout of 53.2 per cent. In the Trafford borough the votes were 83,600 against versus 20,400 in favour. The turnout in Trafford was the highest of all the boroughs, with 63.6 per cent.
Mark Versallion said "I am delighted with the result. Stretford and Urmston Conservatives worked very hard on the 'No' campaign and having met so many people who had such genuine and deep concerns about the scheme, I am very happy for them that it has been rejected."
The refererendum was heavily criticised for asking the question in an unfair way, "Do you agree with the Transport Innovation Fund proposals?", as well as criticisms around the £230,000 'Yes' campaign TV advert which broke broadcasting regulations. But despite these biases in favour of the scheme it was still overwhelmingly rejected.