“Pensioner, now that 'Mandy' the twice disgraced MP is back in the government fold at least Gordy will know where to go for a loan to bail the country out, as long as he keeps it to himself the watchdogs will turn a blind eye.”

“It was a sad day when the bridge opened, and the ferry stopped running.

The Humber Bridge serves no useful purpose to Lincolnshire, it's just part of the Government's Regionalisation plan, just like the 'dead but won't die' 'South Humberside' tag”

“I oppose any reduction on lowering the tolls. This bridge is very, very old-fashioned thinking - it is car driven and
it is aimed at the long-distance overpaid company executive commuter in their gas guzzling Jags as well as hauliers, both are better served by rail. No surprise then that lobbyists are from this well heeled group. At least the bridge toll adds to some discouragement to travelling more than is necessary. As it is, residents in nearby villages enjoy low traffic and therefore low emissions and noise pollution. Motorists and greedy fat cat businesses pleading poverty need to learn the true cost of motor vehicle transport which has been far too cheap for fat too long. Any gas guzzler over say over 2 or 2.5 litres going back to the 1980s should pay double in bridge tolls for the pollution impact. As for road-pricing, the sooner the better, complete with a black box that monitors everything (speed, location) 24/7, if you have nothing hide then you have nothing to fear. Motor vehicles are a major cause of global warming; it doesn't seem unreasonable that motorists should pay a bit more towards the cost of half the land being submerged by water.”

“The Humber Bridge is a fantastic piece of local history, it's just a shame the debts overshadow that. I do not visit Hull often but it is far easier having the bridge that driving all the way around the Humber to get there. The powers that be on the local councils seem to think that in an area with such a small economy that they can raise the toll year after year. The general public have complained about this for years and the council NEVER listen. We can lobby the council, lobby Downing Street, but it won't make a lick of difference because we are a dead end part of the country that the majority have never even heard of.”

“I totally agree with you Derick. It was a sad day when they opened up that monstrosity. A bit like when they opened the channel tunnel and let all those European aliens into our once great country. Now the good people of Lincolnshire have to put up with an invasion of people who come to enjoy our far superior fish and chips. If we are to keep this concrete carbuncle could we have it a different colour? Maybe like the Golden Gate Bridge let¿s have it a nice post box red.”

“I've just noticed that if you write in a wordprocessor first, the font size appears to carried over on GTs new webpage format, and it uses US keyboard settings if you copy/paste the text. It also appears not to load web addressess, not even Govt ones.”

“It was Labour Barbara Castle's poorly planned political decision to bribe voters in a by-election Hull North in 1966) to build the bridge, it was certainly not a commercial decision and not surpringingly financial difficulties have dogged the bridge from day one. Tory MP and former Chancellor the late lain Macleod said at the time that this was not a sensible idea. Given the history of the financial difficulties of the bridge, suggests that he was probably right, but we are where we are.

Unless we can get these tolls removed, many small businesses are simply not trading across the river. History is repeating itself; the last time Britain had widespread tolls on bridges and roads was in the turnpike era of the C18th the practice ended up with crippling tax burdens that stifled free trade.

The bridge was built from an artificial loan, considering motorists pay £55bn/yr in road taxes and only 1/7th is ever goes to roads then this shows the loan is a nonsense.

There is a big stumbling block to remove it though, Labour is committed to its sinister road pricing toll tax policy, this means that any concessions to lifting any bridge tolls would be seen as conflicting with their National Road Pricing policy. Any campaign needs to be aware of this. Should the road toll tax policy be ditched then there will be a sporting chance to scrap the bridge toll. Beware of token gestures on the Bridge Toll, they may well scrap the toll booths and even lower the toll, but the tolls will be extended all the way to your drive way, i.e. you win the battle only to lose the war.

Typical tricks to get the public buy-in is to make current usage more expensive,(e.g. bridge tolls up at greater rate than inflation and current no tolls on roads, tolled), then they offer a discount if you accept an on-board transponder for electronic toll collection - i.e. Tagged, Tracked and Taxed! NuLabour have just released an invitation to tender for National Road Pricing which effectively means more toll taxes not less, and yes it includes bridges and tunnels. In Hansard, they even mention the dreaded P word - privatisation! All this from a Labour Govt.
When we are sliding into a recession these indirect taxation methods only serve to wreck the local economy not help it.”

“Dericks views of the area are extreme but what has Grimsby got to be proud of?

Being the only town in the UK with its own police helicopter?”

“Derick Douglas - Grimsby. If you have such a low opinion of the area in which you live, and you really do hate it so much, MOVE. I do agree that the bridge tolls are having a detrimental effect on the area, but to call Hull a dump, and Imminghan a shanty town (as you did in a previous post) does not help the situation. This area is suffering and needs help from the powers that be. You may be better employed using the amount of energy you do berating the area, campaigning for help for the area.”

“Bring back hanging!”