This will see £2.8bn for public transport investment and pave the way for the introduction of a peak time congestion charge for vehicles travelling in and out of Manchester.

So what does the bid mean for Wigan? Firstly, there will be no congestion charging within the borough but we will see some significant benefits.

The funding will see the introduction of an express guided bus route running from Leigh through Salford to Manchester.

Major work will be carried out in the town centre to create a state-of-the-art interchange improving connections between Wigan Wallgate and Wigan North Western.

There will be increased capacity on trains through Atherton and Bolton as well as a multi-million pound refurbishment of railway stations including improvements at Hindley, Ince, Pemberton, Bryn, Gathurst,
Appley Bridge and the reopening of Golborne railway station.

Investment in local transport has struggled in recent years to keep pace with the growth of local business.

For many commuters the only option is to jump in the car, which in turn creates jams, adds to journey times and affects those industries that rely heavily on roads for deliveries and servicing other businesses.

From the Chamber's perspective it is vital that every company has an opportunity to see the full facts and figures to make a truly informed decision.

We will be working closely with our members over the next few months to determine this.