Manchester central MP Tony Lloyd has defended the government's decision to allow the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester to introduce a congestion charge.

He told BBC1's The Politics Show that the introduction of a road toll in the city-region would be good for the public's health and the economy.

Mr Lloyd was speaking after the government agreed to finance public transport improvements in Greater Manchester on the condition that a congestion charge is rolled out from 2013.

"We know that congestion is bad for health. The pollutants in the atmosphere are particularly bad for young people, children's lungs," he stated.

"We know that congestion is bad for the global environment and we know specifically in Greater Manchester that we risk losing 30,000 jobs over the next ten years unless we do something positive about congestion."

Last week, an alliance of businesses called United City said it supported the idea of a congestion charge in the city-region.