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THE Tatton Park Country Fair is being held over the weekend of 23-25 August at Tatton Park, and this year the fair has more attractions than ever. Event organiser Living Heritage has teamed up with the Stockport Express to give away 10 family tickets for the show.
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Congestion is 'dead in the water' claim
by Peter Devine23/ 7/2008
REDDISH MP Andrew Gwynne has claimed that controversial plans to impose congestion charging across Greater Manchester "are dead in the water".
The outburst came from the leading Labour politician, who was speaking to the Stockport Express ahead of a crucial meeting on Friday, which will involve members of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities.
The meeting, which is being held at Bury, could determine whether or not a referendum is held into the charging system.
Currently £3 billion in Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) improvements are dependent on Greater Manchester accepting a congestion charge by 2013.
Mr Gwynne, pictured, said: "I think politically the congestion proposal is dead in the water because it is going to be difficult to persuade the ten leaders of local authorities across Greater Manchester to be bound by a (GM) county wide poll."
Stockport Council’s Lib-Dem leader Coun Dave Goddard, who has consistently opposed the charging in the town, would seem to have found an unlikely ally in Mr Gwynne.
Mr Gwynne explained: "It’s a case where my constituents would take the pain without the gain. I am very disappointed with the level of improvements for the people of Reddish. And if I were Dave Goddard I would be saying the same thing. If there is no referendum, it is then going to be difficult to get seven out of ten of the authorities to agree on congestion charging which is looking increasingly unlikely."
Currently three out of the 10 authorities (Stockport, Bury and Trafford) are against the proposal, while Bolton has said it would hold its own poll on the issue.
Under the TIF proposals Stockport is being promised between £50 and £60 million of improvements which would include a new bus interchange, new buses and new bus routes in return for forking out up to £5 daily to travel into and out of Manchester.
Most recent 2 of 3 user comments
Much praise to Andrew Gwynne as well for listening to the people.
Its disgusting how we should riddle manchester with £2 BILLION of debt after the interest - to undo all the congestion the "road planners" have created.
...and then to hit us with increased council tax and public transport fares when the repayments dwindle as more people stop using their cars is DISGUSTING.
The economy is in enough of a shambles as it is without another stealth tax.
CONGESTION CHARGE = NO THANKYOU
23/07/2008 at 13:34
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congestion can be sorted in manchester for a LOT LESS than £3 Billion.
A couple of million would do it. Combined with sorting out the traffic light sequences, all the road narrowing, engineering congestion etc
23/07/2008 at 16:43