Liverpool region campaigners oppose Mersey Tunnels toll hikes

Tunnel users in the Liverpool city region are to fight plans for a new increase in toll charges.

Car drivers could be hit with a rise of as much 20pence on the cost of a single tunnel journey from April, according to a report from the Mersey Tunnels operators MerseyTravel.

The Mersey Tunnels Act 2004, allows the "authorised tolls" - the maximum Merseytravel can charge - to rise in line with the rate of inflation.

And according to a report that goes before councillors tomorrow (THURS 12th Jan) the correct toll should be #1.70 - 20pence more than the current rate of £1.50

The report to the Tunnels, Ferries and Visitor Economy Committee says that a decision on setting the actual rate for tolls in 2012/13 will be taken at full meeting of the authority on 9th February.

And it says councillors will need to take account of numerous factors, including the economic impact on the region, where the economy is said to be lagging behind other areas.

But the report says there is also a duty to raise sufficient funds to manage and operate the tunnels, manage congestion and to generate cash for investment in public transport.

A separate report to the committee also shows that tunnel usage has FALLEN by 2.74% in the past year.

Mersey Tunnels Users Association spokesman John McGoldrick said that there is no real justification for increasing tolls.

Mr McGoldrick said: "The tolls are causing a great deal of damage to the Merseyside economy and an increase would make matters worse.

"It is unfair that the people on Merseyside should be forced to pay a toll at all to get from one part of the region to another.

"The fact that tunnel usage has gone down speaks for itself and it would be quite wrong for more money to be squeezed out of drivers in order to subsidise other activities.

"Users of trains and ferries do not pay half of what it costs to maintain those services whereas people using the tunnels are already being forced to hand over more than it costs to run the tunnels.

"The tunnel tolls are now a tax and they should be abolished."

The last time tolls were increased was in April last year when tolls for cars increased by 10p.

Mr McGoldrick said: "If they are proposing yet another increase in the tolls it will be a red rag to a bull of thousands of hard-pressed motorists.

"The Mersey Tunnel Users Association will certainly be doing everything possible to oppose any suggestion of an increase.

"I would urge drivers to write to councillors who are on Merseytravel to express their opposition. We need to show that this is just not on!"

A spokesman from Merseytravel said they had no comment to add to the details contained in the report to councillors.

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