Pledge to cut bridge tolls is greeted with scepticism

Published on Saturday 31 March 2007 00:14

LABOUR yesterday pledged to scrap tolls on the Tay Road Bridge and waive charges for cars with passengers on the Forth Road Bridge in a move which is expected to cost taxpayers more than £3 million a year.

Mr McConnell said the move, which is also backed by the Liberal Democrats, would boost the business communities in Fife and Dundee and help cut congestion on the Forth Bridge.

Mr McConnell said an incentive should be provided to drivers crossing the Forth Road Bridge.

He said: "To maximise the length of time the existing bridge can be used, it's important to reduce cars.

"Abolishing tolls for cars with more than one occupant would make a major contribution to both. It's vital to reduce traffic on the bridge."

But Mr McConnell said complete removal of tolls would be irresponsible because it could make congestion worse. However, senior transport sources have told The Scotsman that lifting the 1 toll for cars would have little impact on congestion, since 82 per cent of bridge commuters drive alone.

One said: "People will not go out of their way to pick up passengers just to save 1."

The assessment appears to be in line with an unpublished Scottish Executive study into tolls on the bridge, which is believed to conclude that removing them would have limited economic and social impact.

Lawrence Marshall, the Labour convener of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority, which runs the bridge, said the move would leave a hole in its budget.

He said: "It will result in a reduction in our income so we will obviously suffer, putting us in an even more precarious position considering we have just agreed to borrow money for the first time."

The Tay Road Bridge Joint Board said 13 million of debt remained, which was not due to be paid off for another nine years.

Tolls, which include 80p for cars, bring in some 3 million a year, which is used for maintenance.

Mr McConnell said: "The Tay Bridge has had a debt which required to be paid, to be ended, to be budgeted for, and we can do that over the next four years. It is the right thing to do for the economies of Fife and Dundee."

TRANSform Scotland, a public-transport campaign group, condemned the pro- posals.

Colin Howden, its director, said: "Removing bridge tolls would make the general taxpayer pay for bridge maintenance.

"This would represent a transfer of funds from non-road users to motorists, effectively making those on lower incomes subsidise affluent car commuters."

Mr Howden also contrasted the 1 toll on the Forth with 2.70 to cross the Humber and 5.10 for the Severn.

He said: "With Forth bridge toll levels so low compared to the Humber and the Severn bridges, there is no real incentive to change travel behaviour."

The SNP accused Mr McConnell of a U-turn following the Executive's rejection of removing tolls last month. Ministers argued that tolls should be considered in relation to plans for a new crossing.

Tricia Marwick, SNP candidate for Central Fife, said: "This latest U-turn lacks all credibility. Unlike Labour, the SNP have a clear, consistent policy to abolish all tolls on the Forth and Tay bridges. What Labour propose for the Forth is a dog's breakfast and would leave it as the only bridge in Scotland with a toll."