Election to take toll on bridge decision
A DECISION on whether to cut the Humber Bridge toll will not be made until after the election, a senior minister has revealed.
Department for Transport (DfT) officials have been studying research suggesting that scrapping or cutting the £2.70 charge would boost the region's economy.
But Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has now hinted a decision over the toll is unlikely before an expected May 6 election.
"I don't expect to see something very soon," he said, adding that "there isn't long to go between now and the election."
The department met last month with representatives of Colin Buchanan, the independent consultants behind research suggesting that slashing the toll could actually save money by increasing economic activity.
News that a decision will not come until after the election threatens to delay any action on the tolls, with the possibility of a new secretary of state being installed at the department.
Richard Kendall, policy executive at Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, said: "We had hoped we would get a decision before the election."
Sadiq Khan, a minister at the DfT under Lord Adonis, last year pledged £6m of funding to allow the toll to be held at current levels for 18 months.
Jenny Walton, chairman of Humber Action Against Tolls, said the campaign would renew its efforts after polling day.
"We knew it would be hard because it's the sort of thing that as far as the rest of the country is concerned isn't very important, but we've slowly built political support locally and now we need to widen that support until we're getting more than just warm words from whoever is transport minister."
The Mail's A Toll Too Far campaign has been calling for a reduction in the Humber Bridge crossing charge.
The campaign has been urging the Government to drop the bridge's debt, enabling the toll to be axed or reduced to £1 for cars.
7 Comments
by Pete, Hull
Thursday, March 04 2010, 4:57PM
“Reginald, all Barbara Castle did was to give permission for the local authorities in the area to join together and borrow the money and she made it clear the Government would not be responsible for the debt.
It was no different to allowing the borrowing of millions of pounds to build council houses or libraries.
As for voting for the Tories , you mean the ones who welcome a man who pays no British taxes yet they are happy to let him make for laws for those of us who do.”
by Pete, HULL
Thursday, March 04 2010, 3:10PM
“Gary Shores, I can take many comments from people, but any from a Tory, who devastated the industrial base of the whole country and gave away all our government owned assets to the Tory friends is not one of them,
You two faced moron.”
by Reginald, Hessle
Thursday, March 04 2010, 2:12PM
“That's what Labour did when the bridge was commisioned. Barbara Castle come up to support their Labour candidate. And as with Labour projects the debt is left hanging over the heads of those who put them there. We do need a change, and there is only one alternative to Labour, and it is NOT the lib dems!”
by Jason, hedon
Thursday, March 04 2010, 1:26PM
“Come on, read between the lines.
Vote for us, and we wil llook into scrapping the charge”
by Gary Shores, West Hull and Hessle, Parliamentary Candidate
Thursday, March 04 2010, 11:21AM
“13 years in power and the decision is still deferred. We have a home secretary who should be working hard to improve the economic wellbeing of residents in Hull and the surrounding area. Alan Johnson should have been pushing for a full review about the effects of the tolls on the surrounding area and the regions economy from his first day! Then work towards the recommendation. If elected the Conservatives will conduct a full treasury review about the economic impact of the tolls on the area. The outcome and benefits of which will have to be balanced against the empty coffers this Labour Government have due to their financial mismanagement and waste. It is time for Hull to have local candidates who care and work for a better Hull. It is time for change.”
by R Tressell, Hessle
Thursday, March 04 2010, 9:45AM
“Plenty of money for banker-gamblers. Broon can pay my bookie for me.”
by John, East Riding
Thursday, March 04 2010, 8:10AM
“I think that this story just goes to prove how little the Government really care about our region. They appear to be far too interested in keeping their noses in the expenses trough to deal with what we all know is an important issue for any further financial growth of this area.”