MANY years ago, there were tollgates set up on roads to collect money to keep the roads in good condition - I say this with tongue in cheek!

Then, with the advent of the mechanically propelled vehicle, a Road Fund Licence was introduced, to be used for the building of new, and the maintenance of existing, roads.

During the 1950s I remember reading in a newspaper that only 11 per cent of this money was being used for its proper purpose - the rest was used to subsidise the Railways.

Now the name has been changed to Excise Licence so it is just thrown into the general coffers and used for anything but roads. The Chancellor of the Exchequer should have this pointed out to him with the idea of paying off the Tunnels debts and those of the Humber and Severn bridges with one year's Licence money and still have some left over.

As to those who say 'Who's going to pay for the running of the Tunnels if you don't have tolls?' - the Licence money, for Heaven's sake, that's what it's supposed to be for!

Wirral and the Liverpool sides of the river, although governed by different authorities - and long may it stay that way - constitute one large conurbation split down the middle by 1,000 yards of water. This, in my opinion, makes the two Tunnels part of the Queen's Highway and as such "passengers must be allowed to pass and re-pass without let or hindrance."

The Tunnels should be taken out of the hands of Merseytravel (they should never have been in private hands in the first place and I mean as far back as 1934) and handed over to the department who look after the roads and highways.

Tom Morgan,Conistone Avenue,Birkenhead