Tamar tolls to increase 50%
DRIVERS will have to pay an extra 50 per cent to use the main crossings between Devon and Cornwall from Friday.
There was fierce opposition to price hikes on the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry when they were first proposed but the long-running dispute was finally resolved yesterday when Transport Secretary Lord Adonis approved the plans.
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Tamar tolls will rise by 50% this Friday
The cost of cash tolls on both crossings will shoot up from £1 to £1.50 for cars, while those with a Tamar Tag will pay 75p instead of 50p.
Tamar crossings managers last night admitted the plans would be unwelcome, but said without them the bridge "would have been bankrupt".
Campaigners, whose backlash forced a public inquiry, said they were "surprised and disappointed" at the decision.
The cash toll rises are the first for almost 16 years, while pre-paid prices have stayed the same for 13 years.
The Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee, which runs both crossings, says the move will stop its reserves from plummeting £7 million into the red by 2012.
That is largely due to escalating maintenance costs, though campaigners blame some of the £60 million in improvement projects going over-budget.
Chairman and Plymouth city councillor Richard Ball said that without a rise, concessionary fares would have to have been withdrawn.
He said: "The bridge would have been bankrupt if we didn't have the rise. This is probably the least painful way."
However, John McGoldrick, of the national Alliance Against Tolls, said he feared another price hike could be as close as two years away.
"All the figures point towards that," he said. "They will soon be coming back for more."
18 Comments
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by garry morris, cornwall
Saturday, March 20 2010, 9:22AM
“This is exploitation from a monopoly position and may well be rescinded if we can get it to the Monopolies Commission. 16 years of mismanaged price rises need to be looked at. It's at ax on everyone who lves in Cornwall.”
by jon, st.ives
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 2:43PM
“if the bridge was in scotland it would be toll free - there is huge inequality here”
by credit crunched, Saltash
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 2:21PM
“Dave - 50pence may not be much to you, but if you have to pay it very day for 5 or 6 days a week for 48 weeks of the year it can mount up to quite a lot if you are hard up! Add that to record fuel prices etc etc it's bad times........”
by Steadkitten, PZ, England
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 3:06PM
“50p is nothing. We should be more worried about the price of petrol going up than the Tamar bridge. If you travel to Plymouth for work that is £2.50 extra a week, not even the price of a pint of beer.”
by Dooby Duck, In the Tamar
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 3:00PM
“It's 50p more, it's not gone up in absolutely yonks, so what's the big deal. Yes it's short notice, but to all those not on direct debit - get over it.”
by John, Redruth
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 1:52PM
“Steve you numpty, since when do tourists coming into Cornwall go via the Tamar bridge?? It's M5 then A30
And if they do detour they come in from Devon and there is no toll.
It's only when you leave Cornwall to go to Plymouth you pay.
MInd you, if you are heading over the bridge every day it means you have a job in Plymouth which means you are probably paid enough to afford the tolls.”
by Not surprised, Cornwall, England!
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 1:18PM
“I'm not surprised. Adonis is LABOUR - the party who do not listen, do not give a stuff about the population of this country, and have turned the UK into a fascist state. Up to you lot if you want another 5 years of this.”
by Jerry, Callington
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 12:55PM
“I used to grumble about the cost until i had to pay £5.40 to cross the Severn Bridge. We should think ourselves lucky methinks!”
by Dave the Dim, Devon
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 12:30PM
“Dave you dimwit, we've already paid for the construction of this bridge, that's what we pay Road Tax for, same as any other road construction project. I'm afraid there's no defending the indefensible.”
by Gary, Saltash
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 11:57AM
“I suspect it will not raise as much as they think it will. The management of the bridge need replacing the expensive toll booth system which created this overspend which is really used to fund the ferry which gives its services away free was a complete waste of money,. The ticket book system worked. Replacing it with this tag system has hurt locals only, I suspect over time people will now avoid the bridge and this policy could well be the end to this useless team of managers who are clearly unable to run a bash in a brewery
I for one do not need to use the bridge or like Plymouth so they will not be getting a penny from me”