A WIRRAL MP has slammed reports that Merseytravel wants to increase the tolls levied on tunnel users, citing the return to economic growth as the justification.

A report due to be considered when Merseytravel committee meets on Thursday says “improving economic growth is such that a further increase in cash toll is justified”.

But Wirral West MP Esther McVey says it is time to end the “merry go round” at Merseytravel and says a discount should be introduced for Wirral residents.

She said: “The only thing growing at Merseytravel is the bill they are charging the motorist.

“Thousands of people using the tolls will be flabbergasted that the councillors who preach their concerns about the’ cost of living’ in their campaigns are, at the same time, planning to hit drivers hard through the tolls.”

"This is yet another example of why it was wrong of those MPs who gave this power to Merseytravel, through the 2004 Mersey Tunnels Act. 

“It's high time we ended this merry go round at Merseytravel - introducing a discount for Wirral residents, similar to the plan for the new crossing at Halton, would be a start."

Motorists from Runcorn and Widnes had been due to pay a rate of £1.80 each way to cross the new Mersey Gateway bridge – or the current Silver Jubilee bridge - but Chancellor George Osborne responded to calls from critics to scrap the fee.

He said he did not think it would be fair for residents to have to pay cross their “existing local road” but while those in Halton will be able to use their crossing for free, those in Wirral will still be faced with Mersey Tunnel tolls.

At the time, John McGoldrick, secretary of protest group Mersey Tunnel Users’ Association, said that although extending the scheme to Wirral would be good, it would still be unfair.

He said: “The tunnels are local roads for a lot of the people who use them. I think we are being ripped off and I think the politicians on Merseyside and particularly on the Wirral have let the people of Wirral down.

“Our view is that all tolls are a rip off and should be scrapped. It’s the drivers paying about a billion pounds a week in taxes and it’s not right for there to be any tolls.

“It is obviously grossly unfair and it begs the question as to why the Government is putting £500m into the new bridge when they haven’t put in a single penny since the Birkenhead tunnel was built over 80 years ago.”

An estimated 25 million vehicles are said to travel through the Kingsway and Queensway tunnels each year.

Tunnel tolls for cars went up by 10p to £1.70 earlier this year.

The same report to Thursday's meeting also recommends an increase in fares for Mersey Ferries and 15% of bus routes supported by the transport organisation.

The tunnels became assets of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in April and while they have the final say on tolls, the day-to-day operations are the responsibility of Merseytravel.

A spokesman for Merseytravel said no decision has been made – and it is too early to speculate.