YOU will shortly receive the much publicised postal ballot on Manchester’s Transport Innovation Bid. The question you will be asked in this ballot is “Do you agree with the Transport Innovation Fund proposals?” This is a question very carefully chosen to make you think it has nothing to do with congestion charging. The question originally proposed for agreement by the 10 authorities included a reference to congestion charging, but this has mysteriously disappeared in the final version.

Do not be fooled. If you vote to agree with the Transport Innovation Fund proposals you are agreeing with congestion charging which, if you are one of the unlucky ones, could cost you over £1,100 a year. It’s all part of the deal.

So, if like most people in Bolton you think that congestion charging is unfair, if you think we already pay more than enough for a new bus station, if you think we already subsidise public transport too heavily, if you think Bolton gets very little out of this deal or if you think congestion charging is just another stealth tax, then you must vote no.

The only way not to pay is to vote no.

Councillor Bob Allen, Heaton and Lostock