Mersey Tunnel tolls frozen for another year (From Wirral Globe)

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Mersey Tunnel tolls frozen for another year

9:19am Friday 5th February 2010 in News By Craig Manning

Tunnel tolls have been frozen at £1.40 for another year.

A bid by Moreton and Saughall West councillor Chris Blakeley to have the tolls reduced by 10p for regular tunnel users was defeated.

After yesterday's meeting of the Merseytravel board, Cllr Blakeley told the Globe: "We tried to get the tunnel burden reduced for the people of Merseyside.

"But they spurned that opportunity and I find that dreadful.

"However, I'm absolutely delighted that the tolls haven't gone up. "But we had a real opportunity today, one that might not be presented to us again because next year we could find the toll triggered to £1.60."

Councillor Mark Dowd, Merseytravel chairman, said: ”We are delighted that we have been able to retain the tolls at their current level for a further 12 months.

“Under the Mersey Tunnels Act we are obliged to keep tolls in line with RPI but there is a clause which allows us to freeze them in exceptional economic or social conditions.

"There is however, no provision under the Act which allows any other variation.

"This would require a change in the Act itself.

“Claims that we were considering a 20p rise are complete nonsense."

Cllr Dowd said that a report published earlier this week by consultants Colin Buchanan makes clear damage would be caused if the tunnels were toll-free.

"It would result in an estimated net loss of £80m of retail spending from the Wirral, and 600 retail jobs.”

Dave Loudon, chairman of the Mersey Tunnels Users Association, welcomed the decision that there would be no increase.

He said: "This will save a regular user from having to hand over an extra £100 over the next 12 months.

"There is a very big sting in the tail, as the report to members implied that the toll will almost certainly be increased in 2011.

"We urge everyone to lobby their councillors over this issue. Any tolls divide the people on one side of the river from the other and damage the local economy.

"This prospective increase will further discourage new businesses from coming here".

Comments(7)

No.9 says...
2:27pm Fri 5 Feb 10

OK... Then we need to get the Mersey Tunnels Act changed. A change of government combined with excellent campaigning from our local MPs, especially Chris Blakeley, may do the trick.

Who's heard from consultants Colin Buchanan? Not me! Not any of my colleagues who run their own businesses! Their report paints such a rosy picture in favour of tolls that it seems too good to be true... maybe it isn't!

I'm absolutely certain that if I had the kind of funds (courtesy of tunnel users) that Mark Dowd has access to, then I could arrange for for a "report" supporting the removal of this unfair tax.

Let's not forget how desperately hard Mr Dowd and his fellow highwaymen fought to force through the Mersey Tunnels Act and how much of our hard earned money he used to do it... not forgetting the support of pay-per-vote Scottish Labour MPs, most of whom had no idea what they were voting for when the act was passed.

Let's also not forget that he's taken over £30 million from tunnel users to spend on anything but the Tunnels since the Act was forced through... now perhaps this can be seen as a benefit - £30 million to spend which wouldn't have been available without tolls. But this money has been taken from a relatively small number of people (mainly Wirral commuters) to be used for all kinds of projects across Merseyside. This is not fair! Why not toll the Aigburth Road or the East Lancs to pay for this and lay off the Wirral Commuters? A rise in council tax across all the councils would be more fair.