The people of Greater Manchester will vote to introduce congestion charging as part of the region’s Transport Innovation Fund bid, a comprehensive new poll reveals.

They voted by a margin of 53% in an Ipsos MORI poll ahead of the Greater Manchester-wide referendum in December, which will decide whether the bid for TIF funding can go ahead.

To win the referendum, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) would have to get a ‘yes’ in at least seven of the 10 districts. It will be delighted that the Ipsos MORI poll of 5,000 people produced a ‘yes’ majority in every single borough.

Officials, who are due to present the figures to council leaders in October, declined to comment on the result, but confirmed the figures.
Many opponents rejoiced when the AGMA decided to put the matter to the public – in Greater Manchester’s first referendum since the 1970s Common Market poll – believing a ‘no’ vote was a certainty.

One of the most positive boroughs is Rochdale, which will benefit from a new Metrolink line, where 57% voted ‘yes’. In Trafford, where the Conservative council is vehemently opposed to congestion charging, 55% voted to accept it. And the most positive of all was Wigan – with a 58% ‘yes’ vote – although it will benefit least from the package.

A spokesman for United City, the alliance of businesses formed to support the bid, said: ‘United City’s firm belief is that as more and more people understand the limited, peak-time-only nature of the charge, and the fact that a majority of the £3bn public transport investment will be in place before the charging scheme is introduced, support will continue to grow for these proposals.’