PRESTWICH residents have warned councillors they will face severe political consequences if they support the planned congestion charge.

A total of 329 people from the Sedgley ward have signed a petition opposing any charge, which is set to cost motorists up to £5 a day to get in and out Manchester city centre during rush hour from 2012.

The plans, which were revealed in May, include £3 billion worth of public transport improvement.

They were tabled by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), which will discover next April if its bid for government cash to run the scheme has been successful.

The idea got the thumbs-up from green campaigners, but was opposed by local traders who said it would put a strain on their businesses.

Now, residents from the 83 per cent of households surveyed in the ward said they too are against any pay-as-you-drive scheme.

Their signatures have been passed on to Bury Council leader, Councillor Bob Bibby, and also made available to other councillors.

The accompanying letter, put together by former Holyrood councillor Geoffrey Berg, makes its it clear that campaigners will not let the matter rest if their views are ignored.

It reads: "If the borough does not completely pull out of any congestion charging scheme by the AGMA meeting of July 27 and the issue drags on throughout the year, there will be severe and very adverse political consequences in next May's local elections for those local political parties who are still supporting or colluding in the inclusion of your borough in any continuing, albeit still provisional, plans for congestion charging."

Mr Berg added: "These results are not surprising as most people in this area are not particularly wealthy. Usually, they or some other members of their family are struggling to afford to run a car and, therefore, they do not want to pay a very substantial new tax.

"I do not believe congestion is actually a big problem. No alternative measures are needed. I used to travel into Manchester a decade ago and it was more gridlocked then than it is now.

"It is time the council and AGMA listened to the people they are supposed to represent."

In response, Councillor Bibby said: "Anyone who has any form of common sense knows there is a problem with congestion. Mr Berg only has to travel through the borough to realise that.

"My initial view is that congestion charging is against our party's principles and we don't believe in it. But if we don't do anything, Bury and Manchester will come to a standstill in the next five or 10 years. Something must be done.

"The public consultation report from AGMA has come back positive and we are confident that people elsewhere in the borough support the idea.

"As with all petitions, we will keep this one in hand and make reference to it when there is a proper council debate on the issue. We do not expect that to take place for some time as we do not even have a concrete proposal on the table yet."