Congestion charges would be ridiculous (From Warrington Guardian)

Congestion charges would be ridiculous

ALEC Thomson, a Northwich businessman who often travels into Manchester, has no time for suggestions of congestion charges in the city.

He said: "It's absolutely ridiculous. It's just a money-making exercise."

Alec is the production director of Thinkprint UK Ltd, a Winnington-based printing company with a number of clients in Manchester.

The company is one of many that the Forum of Private Business says will be badly hit by any congestion charge introduced in Manchester.

The Government's Transport Secretary Alastair Darling has said more money could be made available for the Metrolink extension if bosses in Greater Manchester draw up a plan to reduce road traffic.

The FPB sees this as clear encouragement to bring in congestion charges and believes Manchester would be committing commercial suicide if it did so.

Alec said: "We have people going in and out of Manchester on a daily basis and a lot of our suppliers go there too.

"We have at least one person going there every day so any charge would be bound to have an impact. There would be implications all along the line. Someone would have to pay for it."

The business has been running for seven years and Alec feels meeting clients face-to-face is the best way to do business.

He said: "To speak to customers properly you need to go and see them. The personal touch is everything.

"I go into Manchester and I don't think the traffic is that bad, especially compared to London."