Your Patch
Sign up to scrap the bridge tolls
by YourMail
about 1 month ago
in
Hessle
Last updated 22 days ago.
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail on Wednesday, October 8
The Mail is today urging readers to back our fight to scrap Humber Bridge tolls or reduce them to just £1 for cars. Our A Toll Too Far petition calls on the Government to enable this to happen by cancelling the landmark’s £350m debt. A report this week revealed that reducing the toll could benefit East Yorkshire’s economy by £1.1bn over the next 25 years. People can sign the petition by filling out a coupon in today’s Mail or at www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/tolltoofar.html Today, traders were among the first to support the campaign. According to the report, the tolls are damaging the area’s businesses as it claims some people on the south bank of the Humber are more likely to go shopping at Meadowhall or Lincoln than to pay the charge to travel to Hull – currently £2.70 for a car to make a single crossing and £10.90 for some large lorries and buses. Mike Killoran, manager of the city’s Princes Quay shopping centre, said he wholeheartedly supported the campaign. He said: “Market research has shown we do not get many customers from across the Humber. The toll is stopping people from coming across. “If the toll wasn’t there, we would be able to extend our catchment area and during these trying times, that would be a major bonus.” Ken Baldwin, Hull city centre Business Improvement District manager, said: “If the toll was reduced, then Hull as a regional centre would have the chance to grow and do more business.” Today, 26 years after the Humber Bridge was built, a £90m loan has grown to £350m – more than three times the cost to build it. Every year, at least 75 per cent of the £21m made from 6.6 million journeys goes to service the debt. The cost of operating the bridge is thought to be about £3m a year. If the debt was axed, just maintenance and running costs would have to be recouped, either through a much smaller toll of about £1, a small levy on local rates or by the Government adopting the bridges as part of its national highway network. The leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg today joined other politicians in backing the campaign. He said: “High tolls hold back economic growth and punish individuals who have to cross daily. The Government should look again at the level of tolls on the Humber Bridge.” Councillor Carl Minns, leader of Hull City Council, also gave his support. He said: “I am more than happy to support the Mail’s campaign and I would encourage people to do so.” Haltemprice and Howden MP David Davis said: “The report could not be clearer. The cost of the tolls to the economy of the region is much greater than the bridge debt and as such the Government must now act to remove these tolls or lower them substantially.” The bridge is managed and run by The Humber Bridge Board – a not-for-profit organisation supported by Hull City Council, East Riding Council, North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council. The organisation said its hands are tied over the tolls issue, while it still has such a large outstanding debt to repay. Bridgemaster Peter Hill said: “It is our greatest desire to lower the bridge toll or even remove it, but we have a very large debt with the Government. “If we didn’t charge the tolls and pay the Government, they would land the debt on the people who lived in that area, via the local authorities. This would work out at about £2,000 per person.” The Humber Bridge Tolls study, launched yesterday, has now been taken to the Secretary for Transport, Geoff Hoon. Links A Toll Too Far www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/tolltoofar.html Humber Bridge www.humberbridge.co.uk
Replies
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Colombo Submitted about 1 month ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
You had to pay to use the ferry. What’s wrong with paying to use a bridge?
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YourMail Submitted about 1 month ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail on Friday, October 10
Business leaders across the region are calling for an end to the “trade barrier” caused by the Humber Bridge tolls. The calls come as part of the Mail’s A Toll Too Far campaign, launched on Tuesday, to highlight benefits of reducing or scrapping the charges. Hundreds of readers signed our petition within hours of it going online, which will be used to lobby the Government to abolish the bridge’s £350m debt. Now, business people from across the city are joining the fight to abolish the tolls, which they say are having a detrimental impact on the region’s economy. Janet Reuben, chief executive of Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (Vhey), said the region’s tourism industry was being hampered by the Humber Bridge toll. Mrs Reuben said: “This study demonstrates the need to pay road tolls is detrimental to visitor numbers in Hull and East Yorkshire.” A Toll Too Far was launched after an independent report into the impact of the charges revealed the region’s economy could benefit by more than £1bn over the next 25 years if they were dropped. The report, entitled The Hull Humber Bridge Tolls Impact Assessment, was released on the same day the consultation period over a proposed 20p rise came to an end. It claimed people on the south bank of the Humber are more likely to go shopping at Mead-owhall or Lincoln than to pay to travel to Hull. The report stated that Hull next year could net a further £45m a year in retail opportunities, if the tolls were axed. David Laycock, manager of St Stephen’s in Ferensway, said he “firmly agreed” with the report’s findings. He said: “The Humber Bridge tolls are a trade barrier restricting free movement, integration and economic progress in the region.” Links A Toll Too Far www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/tolltoofar.html Humber Bridge www.humberbridge.co.uk
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YourMail Submitted about 1 month ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail on Saturday, October 11
RECORD numbers of objections have been raised to proposed increases to the Humber Bridge tolls. The Humber Bridge Board has received 238 official objections from organisations and individuals opposed to the rise – the largest number to date. It follows the Mail’s campaign, A Toll Too Far, which aims to get the tolls scrapped or reduced to £1. So far, 1,200 readers have signed the petition, launched in partnership with our sister papers, the Scunthorpe Telegraph and the Grimsby Telegraph. Humber Toll Action chairwoman, Jenny Walton, 64, said: “People are realising they cannot sit back and they have to react in order to get something done.” The increase would see single car journeys jump from £2.70 to £2.90, while large HGVs would pay £19.90, up from £18.30. As a result of the objections to the board, the new Secretary of State for Transport Geoff Hoon must now call a public inquiry into the increase. The board, made up of the region’s four councils around the Humber, said it is forced to increase tolls to keep up with repayments on the debt and has vowed to put pressure on the Government to find alternatives to a rise. In a meeting next Wednesday, the board will vote on a recommendation that it seeks a meeting with Geoff Hoon on the matter. Association of British Drivers spokesman Nigel Humphreys said: “Ever since the tolls were scrapped in Scotland, we have had more objections from drivers in the Humber region. “The fact it has been abolished there, but the Government won’t do the same here, is really winding people up.” Comment: Page 8 Links Humberside Toll Action www.humbertollaction.org.uk A Toll Too Far www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/ tolltoofar.
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Colombo Submitted about 1 month ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
"RECORD numbers of objections have been raised to proposed increases to the Humber Bridge tolls."
"So far, 1,200 readers have signed the petition,"
Some record. Even Hull City, in their darkest days, could beat that attendance. How many haven’t signed it?
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YourMail Submitted about 1 month ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail on Tuesday, October 14
An MP has called for a debate in Parliament on the Humber Bridge tolls. Speaking during business questions, Brigg and Goole MP Ian Cawsey asked the Leader of the House Harriet Harman for a debate following the launch of the Humber Bridge tolls study earlier last week. The report, which was launched by Mr Cawsey in the House of Commons, revealed scrapping the Humber Bridge tolls would net a £1.1bn windfall for the local economy over the next 25 years. Now the Mail, along with our sister papers in Grimsby and Scunthorpe, has launched our A Toll Too Far campaign calling for the bridge tolls to be scrapped or reduced to £1 for a single crossing by a car. Speaking on the floor of the House of Commons, Mr Cawsey said: “An independent report commissioned by local councillors in my area showed the economic impact of tolls on the Humber Bridge was costing the region more than £1bn in economic activity. “Given the difficulties we are facing in our local economies, could the subject of next week’s topical debate be Government initiatives that could help economic growth in areas across the whole country? “Will you ensure Humber Bridge tolls are part of such a debate?” Ms Harman promised to raise the matter with Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon. Ms Harman said: “I will consider your request for a topical debate. “I will also bring his point to the attention of the new Secretary of State for Transport.” In addition to its economic impact, the report entitled the Humber Bridge Tolls Impact Assessment said reducing or eliminating the tolls would also result in a gain in retail spend for the city. Links A Toll Too Far www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/ tolltoofar.html Ian Cawsey www.iancawsey.co.uk
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Colombo Submitted about 1 month ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
The consultants’ figures, which Mr Cawsey quotes, are at variance with another set of consultants’ figures, which he chooses not to mention.
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YourMail Submitted about 1 month ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail on Wednesday, October 15
Thousands of Mail readers have made their voices heard in the protest against the Humber Bridge tolls. It is just a week since we launched our campaign – A Toll Too Far – to axe the toll or reduce it to just £1 for cars. It followed a report commissioned by the region’s four unitary councils that found the area could net £1.1bn over the next 25 years, if the toll was scrapped. The campaign also coincided with the end of the consultation period into a proposed toll increase, which would see cars paying £2.90 and heavy goods vehicles £19.90 for a single journey. In just seven days, we have collected more than 2,500 signatures for our petition, in conjunction with our sister papers The Grimsby Telegraph and The Scunthorpe Telegraph, and more are still flooding in. The strength of this response shows the huge impact on the lives of residents and firms in the Humber area. Mail editor John Meehan said: “The Humber Bridge toll has become a burden to our region, one that has a huge impact on trade, livelihoods and our quality of life. “Scrapping the tolls or significantly reducing them would give an enormous economic boost to both the north and south banks of the river. “The shot in the arm this could bring for the local economy makes it vital the Government takes steps to address this immediately, to show the people of this region our welfare and future success is high on its agenda.” East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS) is just one of the many companies affected by the toll. The bus company has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on the toll over the years and has consistently objected to the rise since it came about. This will be the first year they have not made a formal objection because of a recent concession brought in for bus companies. However, the company still pays out about £43,000 a year in tolls, compared to £65,000 before the discount. EYMS chairman Peter Shipp said: “I’m sure getting rid of the toll or reducing it would be beneficial to the local economy. “If business users and people going to hospital were given a reduction in tolls, it would still be a step in the right direction.” Links A Toll Too Far www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/tolltoofar.html Humber Bridge www.humberbridge.co.uk
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Colombo Submitted about 1 month ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
Exactly, how many thousands of readers?
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thisisYourMail Submitted 23 days ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
*Double lift for tolls campaign *
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail Wednesday, October 29
The Government has announced it will hold a public inquiry into controversial plans to increase Humber Bridge tolls.
The Humber Bridge Board had proposed to put up the tolls, prompting an outcry from both sides of the river and a surge of complaints, which has led to the Government inquiry.
The news comes as MPs from the region are preparing to lobby Transport Minister Paul Clark.
East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight and Brigg and Goole MP Ian Cawsey will meet Mr Clark next month.
The board wants to increase tolls from £2.70 to £2.90 for cars and from £18.30 to £19.90 for heavy-goods vehicles, in line with inflation, in order to meet its repayments to the Government.
The MPs will call for Mr Clark to write off the bridge’s £350m debt, which would lead to tolls being reduced to a sensible level or scrapped altogether.
Earlier this month, the Mail launched its A Toll Too Far campaign, alongside sister papers the Grimsby Telegraph and the Scunthorpe Telegraph, which aims to scrap the toll or reduce it to £1 for cars.
More than 6,800 people have so far signed the petition.
Today, Mr Knight said he feels the public inquiry will strengthen the campaigners’ case.
He said: “It is excellent news. It shows the minister is aware of the growing anger at the situation.
“He can now take into account the views of the public, who can all have their say.
“I will be pressing for the meeting as soon as possible, but the public inquiry can only strengthen our position.”
A study by consultants Colin Buchanan, commissioned by Hull and East Riding councils and two authorities on the south bank, revealed the region’s economy would net a £1bn windfall if the tolls were scrapped.
Mr Knight said: “This isn’t a campaign relying merely on emotion. The report commissioned by the local authorities provides hard evidence that abolishing or reducing the tolls will produce an economic uplift for the region.”
He will use examples of tolls being scrapped by the Scottish Executive on the Forth Road Bridge and at Skye, which has boosted their regions’ economies.
Mr Knight said he hopes to have the meeting with the minister next month.
The board’s debt for the 27-year-old bridge forces it to raise the toll in line with inflation every two years.
The Government has been forced to hold a public inquiry after receiving a record 406 letters of objection.
The inquiry could be heard at the board premises in Hessle, and is likely to be early next year, according to Bridgemaster Peter Hill. He said it was important to remember the public inquiry would not be into abolishing the tolls, but into the planned rise in the cost of crossing the bridge.
A date has not yet been released.
Richard Kendall, policy executive for the Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are glad Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon has announced an inquiry, but it is disappointing he has not yet completely ruled out increasing the Humber Bridge tolls.”
A report by the Chamber found some companies spend more than £180,000 per year on tolls.
A Toll Too Far www.thisishull.co.uk/tolltoofar.html
Department for Transport www.dft.gov.uk
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Colombo Submitted 22 days ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
The Government has announced it will hold a public inquiry into controversial plans to increase Humber Bridge tolls. – Yeah, like Barbara Castle’s promises about the local railway lines, 40 odd years ago.
"More than 6,800 people have so far signed the petition." i.e less than 3% of the local population. We get bigger turn outs a local elections.
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