Mersey Tunnels users have questioned the finances of a tunnel walk staged last year after it emerged that the amount donated to charity directly from the event was just £495
More than £44,000 was raised from tickets sales to those taking part in "Up and Over the Mersey 2008" and there were promises that part of the proceeds would go to charity.
But figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that the cost of staging the walk and associated entertainment far out-stripping the cash raised.
It meant a shortfall of £115,565.26p and tunnel users are concerned it was plugged with cash taken from the annual surplus made on toll collections from drivers.
The disclosures about the finances of the "Under and Over the Mersey" event come just days before Merseytravel is to stage a similar event on Sunday 19th July marking the 75th anniversary of the opening of the Queensway Tunnel.
The figures were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Mersey Tunnel Users Association.
The disclosures show that the costs of running "Under and Over the Mersey" 2008 totalled £161,807.26 while ticket sales to those taking part were only £44,895.00.
The walk was billed as "supporting local charities" but the £495 donated to the Radio Merseyside Charitable Trust came only from additional donations made by walkers, over an above the £10 per head entry fee they each paid.
The £495 charity donation represents less than 0.4% of the expenditure on the event.
A further, undisclosed sum, was paid to charity by Merseytravel in connection with the event, representing annual "overpaid tunnel tolls" - money paid by drivers in excess of the required toll.
An MTUA spokesman said: "Merseytravel made great play that the 2008 walk was aimed raising funds for charity.
"Those taking part were given to understand that the entry fees, after necessary organisational expenses, would go to the Radio Merseyside Charitable Trust.
"We are in favour of raising money for charity but in fact less than £500 was actually donated from the fees paid by those taking part and that was in the form of extra donations that were made by generous participants.
"More than £116,000 was taken from tunnel toll revenues to cover losses on the event.
"This is not in the spirit of the Mersey Tunnels Act which says surplus toll revenues may be spent on improving transport services.
"It is hard to see how closing the tunnel for a charity walk and jamboree can be described as a 'transport service'.
"At the same time that this was happening Merseytravel was voting-though an increase in tunnel tolls to £1.60p for cars.
"This has been deferred because of the recession but could be implemented at any future time imposing real hardship on many people irrespective of their ability to pay.
"It is time tolls on the Mersey were abolished, as was originally promised, so that the tunnels can become part of the national road network.
"While they remain as a toll tax which is used as means of squeezing more money from motorists who already pay £50 billion a year in road taxes and other duties to the Government."
Merseytravel said the decision to donate surplus tunnel toll payments to charity was taken by the former Passenger Transport Authority "through its usual channels".
A spokesman for Merseytravel said: "Under and Over the Mersey 2008 was never organised as a charity event, it was our contribution to Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture.
"Our intention, if the event made surplus revenue, was to donate that to charity.
"In addition, we gave people the chance to make a donation to charity over and above the #5 entry fee and we made sure all contributions were given to the BBC Radio Merseyside Charitable Trust.
"Under and Over the Mersey 2009 is completely different in that the whole event is based around raising money for charities.
"More than 10,000 people have already signed up with every penny from ticket sales going to our corporate charity for 2009 Claire House.
"This will run into tens of thousands of pounds for what is a truly worthwhile cause.
"We are also encouraging people to do the walkthrough in aid of causes that are close to their hearts."
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