WARRINGTON must benefit from the billions of pounds worth of public investment in transport should the Manchester congestion charging scheme go ahead according to councillors.

Members of Warrington Borough Council’s executive board met on Monday night agreed more must be done to ensure Warrington doesn’t miss out on any benefits.

Clr Alan Litton (LD - Great Sankey South) said there had not been enough consultation done with people in Warrington about the £3bn programme of works while council leader Ian Marks (LD - Lymm) said experts in Manchester had “not done their homework” about the effect the proposals would have on the borough.

Clr Litton said: “We are saying quite clearly that we do not feel that Manchester have done enough at all to take notice of Warrington and our position.”

Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester City Council, met with councillors in Warrington last week.

He was told the biggest criticism of the scheme was the plan to use Birchwood station as the base for a park and ride service. As already reported in the Warrington Guardian, councillors and residents in Birchwood are furious at the plan, saying the access is not good enough to serve a large number of passengers.

And Clr Liz Smith (LD - Great Sankey South) said plans to make more use Sankey station were also floored as there was simply no space for cars to park.

Clr Marks added: “It is clear that they (Manchester) had not done their homework and they did get that message.

“This is a brave plan and I am grateful I am not a politician in Greater Manchester.

“But as far as Warrington is concerned it has to be strongly conditional on us getting schemes. There are big issues here.”

Transport chiefs in Warrington have drawn up a list of measures they say would need to be implemented in the borough should congestion charging go ahead.

These include highways improvements should park and ride go ahead in Birchwood, new bus schemes, improved facilities at stations and on trains and park and ride facilities at motorway junctions.

Councillors agreed to write to Manchester outlining their list of demands.