COUNCILS UNITE TO SCRAP TOLLS

8:24am Wednesday 23rd April 2008

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WIRRAL councillors have united in their campaign to scrap the controversial Mersey Tunnel tolls.

During a full council meeting at Wallasey Town Hall on Monday evening, Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors voted in favour of a Conservative motion that called for the tolls to be abolished as they have been in Scotland.

Liberal Democrat group leader Simon Holbrook moved an amendment that additional finance costs of running the tunnels would not be met by Wirral's taxpayers, which had full-party support.

There were also calls for a scheme similar to that of the Dartford Tunnel model, where substantial discounts would be offered for people using it. That scheme will not be introduced until August.

But at about 8.30pm the time guillotine was brought down on the meeting, which meant the further issues could not be debated.

Conservative councillor for Moreton West and Saughall, Chris Blakeley, said: "It may well be pie in the sky to have a toll free tunnel for Wirral, but we are prepared to work on it.

"The tunnels should be part of the national road network and maintained as such, and therefore be toll free. We need to work with Merseytravel, the Mersey Tunnel Users Association and other bodies to see how this can be done."

Members of the Mersey Tunnel Users Association staged a demonstration outside the town hall prior to the meeting.

Secretary John McGoldrick said: "The council have said that they want the tolls to be scrapped so we'll be watching to see what happens.

"The tunnels currently take £38m a year, mostly from Wirral people, and I would urge them to press their councillors and MPs for action on this. Lobbying MPs in Scotland has lead to the tolls being scrapped."