Humber Bridge pledge for hospital patients forced to pay for crossings
THOUSANDS of patients travelling across the Humber Bridge for hospital treatment will no longer have to pay tolls, council leaders have pledged.
When the plans are officially approved they will mark a major victory for campaigners who have backed the Grimsby Telegraph's Axe The Toll On Health campaign over the past ten years.
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Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, councillor Chris Shaw celebrates as thousands of patients travelling across the Humber Bridge for hospital treatment will no longer have to pay tolls
The free crossings will apply to all patients who have to travel to Hull Royal Infirmary or Castle Hill Hospital for treatments which are not available in Grimsby – including thousands of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
During the past 12 months, a total of 8,606 people have travelled from North East Lincolnshire to Hull's hospitals for in-patient treatment and 33,719 have made the journey across the bridge as outpatients.
Following a meeting of the leaders of the four local authorities on the Humber to discuss the Government's offer to reduce the Humber Bridge debt, it was agreed that scrapping tolls for hospital patients will be the first priority.
The four authorities – North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and Hull City Council – have also now agreed to take an equal share of the debt – paving the way for halving of bridge tolls to go ahead.
As reported, transport ministers announced that if each of the four authorities took on a 25 per cent share of the bridge debt, then it would be reduced from £332 million to £182 million, allowing tolls for cars to be reduced from £3 to £1.50.
However, Councillor Chris Shaw, leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, initially opposed the plans, pushing for the split to be based on population.
However, it was announced yesterday that he has agreed to an equal split – meaning a new Humber Bridge Board made up of representatives from each of the four authorities can now be convened.
And Mr Shaw is confident that the new board will be in place from April 1, when he says the toll for hospital patients will be scrapped.
He said: "The leaders of the four local authorities met on Thursday and it has since been agreed that the debt will be split equally.
"The Government, basically, said that if we didn't split it equally then there wouldn't be any funding to help us in the future and I am now satisfied with the assurances I have been given that the likelihood of ever having to fund any shortfall is limited.
"The crucial thing for me was that we succeeded in getting all four leaders to agree that the new board will approve free crossings for people attending hospital appointments in Hull.
"I am delighted we are all in agreement that this matter will be given urgent consideration."
Recovering cancer patient Jenny Walton, of Kirmington, launched the Humber Action Against Tolls campaign ten years ago and has also supported the Telegraph's Axe The Toll On Health and Toll Too Far campaigns.
As reported, Jenny has suffered seven bouts of cancer over the last 12 years and has now been free of the disease for two years, but still attends regular appointments and has recently undergone surgery at Castle Hill.
She said: "I must have spent hundreds of pounds travelling over the bridge, sometimes fives days in one week, for treatment. The bridge tolls are a cost that people who are undergoing treatment for very serious conditions could well do with out.
"It is tremendous news that the new board will be scrapping tolls for patients and I am glad that ten years of tireless campaign by a great number of people has led to this point."
Share your views
Will the proposed changes affect you? Is halving the standard toll for cars good enough? Let us know your opinions by e-mailing viewpoint@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk
21 Comments
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by ABD_Member
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 6:29PM
“Congratulations Jenny Walton, your photo should be on here really, you did all the heavy lifting, it was your Humberside Action Against Tolls (H.A.A.T.) which bought it to everyone's attention and the campaign has been an arduous one. At last a result for common sense, patients will no longer have to pay tolls. Hats off to HAAT.”
by exeter44
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 6:06PM
“4everblue - what planet are you on? I can't see your argument. Not aware hospital visitors get anything back wether on benefits or not!
Still pretty good for a prisoner/ visitor compared to a patient/visitor. Some hospitals charge upto £20 for a five day TV card and phone calls are a minimum of 10p a minute for local calls.
Can't recollect being charged to park at a prison either? Can be upwards of £12 per day in some city centre hospital carparks.
Perhaps the message is that we would ALL get more BENEFITS if we were on BENEFITS. The majority disadvantaged as usual!”
by 4everblue
Monday, February 06 2012, 9:32PM
“Exeter44
You have been misinformed by someone, Prisoners do pay for Television £1 a week and they also pay for phone cards which are £4 a time, and it actually costs more for calls on the phone cards.
Prison visitors only get free bridge tolls if they themselves are on benefits/pensions.”
by gy001
Sunday, February 05 2012, 4:07PM
“yes it is true prison visiters get a free pass to cross the bridge”
by p_rhana
Sunday, February 05 2012, 1:09PM
“Labour have been handed 7,000,000 votes on a plate and that will see them holding power for many years, chance what THE PLOTTER (by whichever name) tries to make out. £7,000,000 was a lot of money and could have gone a long way in reducing Dave & George's too deep, too fast austerity cuts.
We'll be well into the second dip of recession by May and unemployment will have rocketed and who will deservedly get the blame? The ConDems will, so open your arms up Chris, because that's not a mile which will be the margin of your May win.”
by mikegearless
Sunday, February 05 2012, 11:39AM
“Caption competition:
"I only lost the May election by this much!"
Davex66: I surely can't be the only person to think this is nothing but another shabby stunt from Labour to win a few votes at election time.
No Dave, there is at least two of us LOL.
This is just a tiny facet in the remarkable continuing failure by Chris Shaw to get anything right! Just think back over the last few months as Chris's aspirations have unravelled. Surely the labour party will not allow him to lead them into the May election defeat.
As Chris ring-fences the remuneration of the select executive officers then ruthlessly talks about cuts, he is just digging a bigger hole. How can we take the man seriously as he rubs shoulders with the elite.......the elite are clearly telling Chris what to do to protect their vast salaries and pensions.
Chris won't see the Humber bridge "debt share debacle" as a failure, after all it's our money he is risking and he can use the full force of the law and bailiffs to punish us.
Labour will just never learn, they continue to be generous with other peoples money.”
by 1numbnuts
Sunday, February 05 2012, 10:41AM
“As for prison visitors google Assisted prison visits”
by exeter44
Saturday, February 04 2012, 9:16PM
“Would be better if it were free for hospital visitors not patients.
The patient often only has to go there once and return once. The visitors may have to go twice a day for weeks.
A relative has just been in for a fortnight and we have been collecting receipts and rattled up well over £100 in the process.
Can someone confirm the rumour that visitors to prisoners in proson do not have to pay?
Wouldn't surprise me if it was true because its the same as hospital patients have to pay for televisions and phone calls whilst these are free for prisoners!”
by mingmingrob
Saturday, February 04 2012, 9:02PM
“I always took that picture stance as a "surrender pose" !”
by kaitanbreeze
Saturday, February 04 2012, 8:39PM
“I think the only use for this article or picture is to start a caption competition:
"This is how much taller I'd love to be"”