Sign up to Humber Bridge tolls campaign
THE Mail is today urging readers to back our fight to scrap Humber Bridge tolls or reduce them to just £1 for cars.
Readers are being asked to sign our A Toll Too Far petition, calling for the Government to enable this to happen by canceling the landmark's £350m debt.
The call follows a report that revealed reducing the toll could benefit East Yorkshire's economy by a massive £1.1bn over the next 25 years.
People can put their name to the petition by filling out a coupon in today's Mail or visiting www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/ tolltoofar.html
Today, traders in the region were among the first to support the campaign.
According to the report, the tolls are damaging the area's businesses, claiming some people on the south bank of the Humber are more likely to go shopping at Meadowhall or Lincoln than to pay the charge – currently £2.70 for a car to make a single crossing and £10.90 for some large lorries and buses – and travel to Hull.
Mike Killoran, manager of the city's Princes Quay Shopping Centre, said he wholeheartedly supported the campaign.
He said: "Market research has shown we do not really get customers from across the Humber. The toll is definitely stopping people from coming across."
Every year, at least 75 per cent of the £21m made from 6.6 million journeys goes to service the debt. The cost of operating the bridge is thought to be about £3m a year.
If the debt was axed, just maintenance and running costs would have to be recouped, either through a much smaller toll of around £1, a small levy on local rates or by the Government adopting the bridges as part of its national highway network.
The bridge is managed and run by The Humber Bridge Board – a not-for-profit organisation supported by Hull City Council, East Riding Council, North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council.
Bridgemaster Peter Hill said: "It is our greatest desire to lower the bridge toll or even remove it, but we have a very large debt with the Government.
"If we didn't charge the tolls and pay the Government, they would land the debt on the people who lived in that area, via the local authorities. This would work out at about £2,000 per person."
43 Comments
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by s.s, hull
Thursday, October 09 2008, 1:36PM
“Martin, OPE you live and work in the east riding... isn't OPE short for Orchard Park Estate? I thought OPE was in Hull not the east riding, please correct me if I am wrong.”
by Alex, Hessle
Thursday, October 09 2008, 6:25AM
“Weigh it in for scrap and bring back the ferries!”
by Martin, OPE
Thursday, October 09 2008, 6:22AM
“I live and work in the East Riding, yes with thousands of other people there are jobs a plenty. I use the bridge no more then six times a year. Selfish I know but if it fell into the river tomorrow it wouldn't effect my life.
If it were cheaper I would use it more, plain and simple as it is it's a last resort. It's a white elephant and a very costly one at that”
by Bob, Hull
Wednesday, October 08 2008, 7:45PM
“Totally agree with George, vote BNP, the only party which seems capable of restoring common sense. If we kept British money in Britain we could afford to scrap the tolls and write off the debt. And the BNP are not the knuckle dragging racist thugs the media love to portray them as.”
by Peter, KSA
Wednesday, October 08 2008, 6:57PM
“Katie, that is disgusting, but I can well believe it.
With the combined cost of the hospital car parks, and the pay per view televisions. It makes you wonder how (the needy)people can survive on benefits with a family member on long term treatment or as an inpatient. But an inmate you has robbed Mr Jones at the corner shop or some thug who has broken an asbo and brought terror to the neighbourhood gets it all free for his visits. There is no justice in this world.”