TRADE Unions who have members employed at Mersey Tunnels have launched a campaign to reverse the decision to increase the tolls by 20 per cent.

Five unions have opposed the raise and plans to allow private companies to run the tunnel operations.

They have called for a public enquiry to examine Merseytravel's plans

A spokesperson for the unions described the decision as "highway robbery".

The spokesperson said: "The people of Merseyside have learnt to our cost the effects of bus deregulation and rail privatisation, do we want the same to happen to the tunnels?

"To increase tolls or to hand over the operation to a private company will put an unreasonable burden on the people of Merseyside."

The unions say they will be asking local MPs, local businesses and the people of the North West to support their campaign.

A Merseytravel spokesman said current plans to franchise the operation of the tunnels represented the best way to improve their efficiency while continuing to reduce the historical debt.

"Under these proposals, we will be able to deliver a wide range of benefits, not only to Mersey Tunnels but to Merseyside's local taxpayers as well," said the spokesman.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.