▁was ▁owned ▁at ▁" arm ' s ▁length " ▁by ▁the ▁P TE , ▁and ▁had ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁der eg ulated ▁market . ▁In ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁priv at isation , ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁split ▁into ▁G M ▁B uses ▁North ▁and ▁G M ▁B uses ▁South ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁Both ▁companies ▁were ▁sold ▁to ▁their ▁man ag ements ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁and ▁sold ▁on ▁to ▁major ▁groups ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 : ▁G M ▁B uses ▁South ▁to ▁Stage co ach ▁in ▁February , ▁G M ▁B uses ▁North ▁to ▁First Bus ▁in ▁March . ▁▁ 2 1 st ▁century ▁ ▁Transport ▁In nov ation ▁Fund ▁ ▁G MP TE ▁and ▁the ▁G MP TA ▁worked ▁with ▁the ▁Association ▁of ▁Gre ater ▁Manchester ▁Author ities ▁to ▁produce ▁a ▁bid ▁for ▁mon ies ▁from ▁the ▁Transport ▁In nov ation ▁Fund . ▁Within ▁the ▁bid ▁were ▁propos als ▁to ▁introduce ▁Cong estion ▁charg ing ▁in ▁Gre ater ▁Manchester . ▁They ▁claimed ▁the ▁Gre ater ▁Manchester ▁Transport ▁In nov ation ▁Fund ▁would ▁have ▁significantly ▁improve ▁public ▁transport ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁fund ed ▁by ▁charg ing ▁motor ists ▁entering ▁the ▁city ▁at ▁peak ▁times . ▁A ▁consult ation ▁document ▁was ▁sent ▁out ▁to ▁residents ▁during ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁a ▁local ▁refer endum ▁voted ▁no ▁to ▁the ▁propos als . ▁ ▁Executive ▁pay ▁In