Ministers under pressure to hold poll on bridge toll hike

The Labour leader of Fife Council has demanded ministers carry out a vote in the four key regions close to the crossing.

Councillor Anne McGovern said people living in Edinburgh, West Lothian, Fife and Perth and Kinross should have the right to choose if 4 tolls should be introduced on the bridge.

She was today backed by politicians from the Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats.

The Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) plans to bring in a road-user charging scheme on the ageing crossing, which would see motorists paying variable fares depending on the time of day and number of passengers.

Transport Minister Tavish Scott has until early 2006 to back the road-user charge in principle, which he has already indicated he plans to do. But insiders claim the proposed maximum toll of 4 is less popular with the Executive.

Cllr McGovern, in a motion likely to be approved by Fife Council tomorrow, says: "This council distances itself from the recent FETA decision to apply to Scottish ministers for 'approval in principle' to the introduction of a road-user charging scheme at the Forth Road Bridge at the levels proposed.

"The Scottish Executive and FETA [should] agree to finance and hold the fullest public referendum in local authority areas which are represented at FETA, to decide any future proposals for introduction of road-user charging schemes at the Forth Road Bridge."

Critics claim FETA's scheme is no different to the road tolls scheme that Edinburgh City Council tried to introduce earlier this year. Under pressure from the Executive to prove public support, the council held a referendum in February and lost.

Politicians believe a similar result would be likely if a vote was held on the Forth Road Bridge charge, especially in Fife, where the tolls are particularly disliked. In the Scottish Parliament last week, Tricia Marwick, the Nationalist MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, called on the Transport Minister to stage a special poll.

She said today: "I am delighted that Fife Council supports my idea of holding a referendum.

"This is back-door congestion charging. Edinburgh failed to get its own scheme approved, yet every single Edinburgh councillor voted for a user charge on the Forth Road Bridge - without a referendum."

SNP Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Bruce Crawford also said he would back a referendum, as an indicator of public support.

Lib Dem Fife councillor Antony Martin, a FETA board member, added that he supports Cllr McGovern's motion.

"I would encourage the Transport Minister to hold a referendum and I think we are right to ask for one - although I think it is highly unlikely we will get one," he said.

If ministers approve the scheme in principle, the plans will go to public consultation and then almost certainly to a public inquiry.

Edinburgh's transport leader, Councillor Andrew Burns, today said the public will be given extensive opportunities to comment on the plans.

"If the current proposals are approved, which ministers are yet to decide upon, then further opportunities for comment will be available, including a three-month statutory consultation period, a one-month objection period and a likely public inquiry," he said.

A Scottish Executive spokesman said: "Anyone wishing to comment on the issue can do so in writing to Scottish ministers by December 30."

A spokesman for FETA said: "The whole process will involve robust and wide-ranging public consultation taking on board throughout the views of bridge users, stakeholder groups and interested parties."