A Chester MP has arranged a parliamentary debate relating to Mersey Toll crossings which will be held tomorrow, Tuesday 5th December at 9.30 AM in Westminster Hall.
The debate was originally applied for in October by Christian Matheson, MP for Chester.
It is not yet known what ground the debate will cover however the minutes of a previous Backbench Businesses Committee would indicate that both the tunnel and bridge crossings will be discussed.
During the meeting, Matheson said “This issue, as I said in my application, is causing consternation in the sub-region that I represent. There are now four crossings on the River Mersey and every single one is tolled: there are two tunnels and now two bridges.
The problem is that the first bridge—the original crossing—from Runcorn to Widnes, has also been tolled now that the new Mersey crossing has opened. Essentially, that potentially adds a commuting cost of £1,000 to people who, until now, did not have to pay. It comes at a time when bridges in other parts of the country—the crossings across the Forth and, following the Government’s recent announcement, the Severn—are being abolished. So people in my area are rather bewildered and a little let down that we have to pay those charges. Not only is the introduction of a retrospective charge putting people’s backs up, but we are seeing the contrary in other parts of the country.
Ms McDonagh just spoke of nuts and bolts issues and I accept that this is somewhat of a niche issue for my sub-region, but because the crossings are fairly central to that sub-region, in order to get from one side of the Mersey to the other, it is pretty important to the lives of many people.
The new crossing has opened in the last week. The old Runcorn-Widnes bridge, which will in turn be tolled, is closed for repairs and construction, so everyone has been having to go across the new crossing. There have been public demonstrations against the tolls as the bridge has opened, and there is a feeling that we seem to be getting the wrong end of the stick, which other parts of the country do not get….”
The campaign group, Scrap Mersey Tolls, has reached out to 25 MP’s in the areas surrounding the crossing to ask for their attendance at the debate.