‘Unfair tram fare zones will force townsfolk to pay more’

PEOPLE in Shaw will be ‘unfairly’ forced to pay more than the rest of Oldham if new fare zones are introduced on the Metrolink, a councillor has claimed.

Ward councillor and Liberal Democrat opposition leader Howard Sykes has written to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham asking him to reconsider excluding Shaw from the proposed ‘zone 3’ fare band - which covers the rest of the Oldham borough stops.

Coun Sykes says it would mean people travelling from the Shaw and Crompton stop would have to pay up to six percent more than their neighbours living less than two miles away in Derker - with the cost of an annual pass rising to £1,100.

But bosses at Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) say the new system will not hit Shaw travellers in the pocket, and will actually make it cheaper for some.

However, they added they were ‘carefully analysing’ consultation responses and any comments on where Shaw and Crompton is placed will be considered before the final zonal map is approved by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

While he welcomed the concept of zonal fares, the decision to put the Shaw stop in zone 4 ‘defies common sense’, said Coun Sykes, who also sits on the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee.

He said: “I have real concerns about the current zonal proposals because of their impact on my constituents and it is disappointing that the TfGM Committee was not consulted prior to the proposals being made public,” he wrote.

“Oldham is one metropolitan borough, so surely Shaw and Crompton should be in the same zone as the rest of the borough?”

People would be more likely to travel to Rochdale for a night out than to Oldham under the plans, to the ‘detriment’ of the borough’s economy, the letter continued.

Coun Sykes added he could not see how fare increases were justified when ‘insufficient action’ is taken to stop fare dodgers, and passengers on the Rochdale and Oldham line were suffering from an increase in anti-social and criminal behaviour.

On top of that, he pointed out residents still had not got the promised direct link to Piccadilly station. But TfGM said that the new system would provide more flexibility, and travellers from Shaw and Crompton would not pay more for a single journey into Oldham, while a day travel card would become 40p cheaper if ●●Lib Dem leader Coun Howard Sykes (inset) says the new fare zones would mean people travelling from the Shaw and Crompton stop would have to pay more then their nieghbours zones were introduced.

Fare evasion and making the tram route safer is a ‘priority’, they added.

Responding to the letter, Mr Burnham, said: “Fare zones are the essential next step in creating a modern, flexible and accessible public transport system.

“Almost 5,000 people, including local councillors, shared their views on the proposals. Those views are now being considered before the final plan will be discussed by leaders next month.”