Readers need to check finer details of congestion charge

As leader of one of the 10 councils considering the congestion charge, I believe that the package does not add up.

The latest example of misinformation involves the supposed “huge” new fleet of yellow school buses.

On September 9, TIF campaigners issued a press release about a huge expansion of the yellow bus school programme boasting of an extra 120 buses across Greater Manchester. Lord Peter Smith, Chairman of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities promised a “total transformation of the school run of the future.”

However information sent direct to my council by TIF on September 7 reveals that by 2013, there are plans for eight yellow school buses in our borough - a rise of exactly one on the current figure of seven. Is this what they call a huge expansion? Is this going to transform our school run? The answer has to be no.

More worryingly, we feel this information is being suppressed. We were given the information about the one yellow school bus in a draft copy of an advertisement, due to be placed by TIF in local newspapers.

We of course queried the statistic. And when the advert was published, all reference to yellow buses had been removed. Is this honest and open communication?

This is wrong and should not be happening at a time when the public ought to have transparent and robust information on this controversial project. Unfortunately, it is not the first time we have had to suffer misinformation over TIF and we now have to ask ourselves if we can trust the information they are putting in the public domain.

An independent survey carried out by our council has showed more than two-thirds of our residents and three-quarters of our businesses did not support the introduction of a congestion charge. We will maintain a policy of opposition as long as the public of Stockport remains opposed.

Councillor Dave Goddard, Leader of Stockport Council.