MERSEY Tunnel users say they have been “sold down the river” after promises of toll reductions or abolition made before May’s general election are yet to come to fruition.

They're dismayed that after a plethora of pre-election "scrap the toll" promises, nothing appears to have changed.

At February's budget meeting of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, councillors pledged to put a stop to transport organisation Merseytravel using profits from the tunnels to finance other projects, which they said was “fundamentally wrong.”

And in May, Chancellor George Osborne also promised a major review and hinted at a discount scheme for local drivers But members of the Mersey Tunnel Users Association fear the promises have been forgotten.

Association secretary John McGoldrick : “Assuming the politicians meant what they said earlier this year, then it looks as if they have done a U-turn and the users of the tunnels are to be sold down the river.

“Instead of stopping the profit-taking and reducing tolls, it seems the City Region’s aim is to continue to use the tolls' profit on economic development or infrastructure across the region.

“The people who voted in the elections have been duped over what Labour’s tolls policy was.

“The Conservative Party also made promises about reducing or abolishing tolls.

"It is not yet clear what the Government is going to do and whether they will honour what the Chancellor and others said before the May elections.

"We urge all readers of the Globe to raise this issue with their local councillors and MPs.”

A spokesman for Merseytravel said: “The combined authority at its meeting on February 13 agreed to set up a task group to review the tolling process of the Mersey Tunnels. The terms of reference and membership of the group is currently being determined.

“The focus will be to consider the options to reduce costs of tunnel tolls and its impact on infrastructure and transportation.

“On the back of this work a report will be produced to inform the toll-setting process for 2016-2017”

The task group is expected to include representation from the Department for Transport following the Chancellor’s statement ahead of the election.

At a meeting last Monday, the combined authority agreed initial priorities in negotiations around devolution.

Councillor Phil Davies, leader of Wirral Council and chairman of the combined authority, said: “We have set out a wide range of devolution proposals for the Government – including local control over the Mersey tunnel tolls.

“All of these are important in helping to improve the economic and social wellbeing of the city region’s residents and communities.

"Negotiations against all themes and proposals will continue through the next 18 months and beyond.”