A row has broken out in Manchester after it was revealed that pro-congestion charge councillors want to build themselves a private underground car park in the city centre.According to the Manchester Evening News, senior Labour councillors are investigating plans to dig a new car park next to the town hall with spaces for a least 100 cars.Labour councillor Bernard Priest told the newspaper, “It is in the interests of democracy that councillors should be able to park for free when they are attending meetings.”Rival politicians branded the plans “hypocritical” as the ruling Labour group tries to push drivers onto public transport.Controversy has been raging for some time in Manchester over the plans to introduce a peak-time road toll scheme that stretches beyond the city centre out to the M60 ring road. Supporters of the c-charge scheme say that the plan will be accompanied by significant improvements in public transport. However, critics say that the figures do not add up and that any improvements in public transport cannot hope to cover the needs of all Greater Manchester commuters.There are also fears that the scheme will see an extensive and permanent reduction in road space and car parking space in Manchester city centre.
