Write the debt off
I SEE nothing has changed with the Humber Bridge Board.
They all still seem to have their heads firmly planted in Neverland.
In the article on free crossings for bikers, as reported in the Grimsby Telegraph, the bridge master made reference to the toll being for paying off the debt. Somebody put a light on for these people please!
The debt, at the moment £332-million, has been increasing since the bridge was opened. It's possible that it will keep increasing exponentially until it is greater than the national debt.
Compared to what the last government wasted, this debt is a drop in the Humber.
The Conservatives should write off the debt. We would then not need a toll.
We don't need a toll, but some people want a toll. The Humber Bridge Board in particular wants a toll.
Firstly, it's for the power thing, having control over who and how fast we get through the toll gate.
Secondly, it keeps jobs. But obviously the bridge board members are not that in favour of job creation or keeping jobs because they are wanting to spend £4-million on an automated system that will see the reduction of personnel on the toll gates.
I should also imagine that the £4-million will also be lumped on top of the money already owed.
It would be interesting to know how many car drivers actually take up the option of having the tags fitted to their vehicles, the actual cost of fitting the tags and who actually pays for them and can they be transferred between vehicles etc.
Of course there will be a certain number of people who don't have them fitted, those who only cross occasionally or only the once in a lifetime. Is there going to be staff to take the money from them?
£4-million seems a lot of money to put some people out of work so I assume the redundancy and subsequent Job Seekers' Allowance and/or training will be added to the bridge's never-ending debt.
In terms of the maintenance cost for the bridge, someone has to pay it.
However, if the government were to write the £332-million debt off, the bridge board could effectively start again. The money generated used solely for maintenance and therefore more open to scrutiny. The toll fees wouldn't have to be so high.
I would suggest keeping in line with other toll rates of about £1 per car.
Francis Wood, Queen's Parade, Cleethorpes.
The Telegraph says
It was always hoped, as pushed by our A Toll Too Far campaign and petition, that the Government would, once and for all, appreciate how damaging the tolls are to the economy of our region. The debt will never be paid off so chasing its tail is the accepted direction. Will a change in Government eventually see things differently?
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by Pensioner, Immingham
Saturday, July 24 2010, 12:42AM
“I've always thought it absurd that rather simplistically we are penalised for providing the money.
The bridge was financed using taxpayers money as a loan.
The really clever bit is that the taxpayer and bridge user now have to pay an endless interest to repay the loan that we provided.
The bridge board is really just a quango, a costly self serving body trying to justify their existence. The last thing they want is a debt write off ending their jobs-worth folly.
Call the bridge what it really is, just part of the road network like all the other thousands of bridges over rivers/railways etc, At the risk of repeating myself, how is the Bargate flyover funded, how is the Cleethorpe road flyover funded........ and how is the Buck Beck bridge funded? Do the last three bridges have Bridge boards......of course not they are in the real world not the stupid world of the Humber bridge board.
The toll should be scrapped, end of. Those silly enough to advocate a reduced toll don't seem to realise that a reduced toll and the infrastructure to collect it remain in being.....and can in the future self justify increases. Any quango led organisation will only try to increase it's hold over the future of the bridge and themselves.
What we need is people power as below:
http://www.lochalsh.co.uk/skye_bridge.shtml”
by Neil, Cleethorpes
Wednesday, July 21 2010, 6:34PM
“Keith. Many apologiies. There are certain things in life that go way beyond irriitatating me.I do not like "shouting". Your comments? Please do not "shout" at me.”
by josephine white, Grimsby
Wednesday, July 21 2010, 6:27PM
“Keith wrote: "Well these tags can be used by other agencies too. Like for road tolling in Grimsby and so forth; that could be an answer. The thin edge of the wedge".
Hi Keith .. By that I take it you're referring to the EU's Cooperative Vehicle-Infrastructure Systems .. otherwise known as the "communication box?
Thin end of the wedge indeed because these little goodies are going to be installed in every new car which rolls off the production line in the not too distant future. Of course, they'll be touted as yet another 'elf & safety' must-have, but in reality, they're going to make road tolling a reality all over Europe.
Well .. the EU has to recoup some of the zillions (of our money) it's wasted on Galileo, hey?”
by Keith Sidney Raymond Peat, Sutton on Sea
Wednesday, July 21 2010, 4:37PM
“BTW, You will be able to hear me on the Andy Comfort show, BBC Humberside about 0840 Tomorrow.”
by Keith Sidney Raymond Peat, Sutton on Sea
Wednesday, July 21 2010, 4:34PM
“Err Neil, no need to be 'set off' Fair question? Why not cash bins as at the QE2?
But the British Driver isn't doing it for fun as you suggest. He is paying £50 billion a year in taxes and if he stopped the economy would collapse overnight. The British car is only responsible 0.28% of all CO2. No roads should be tolled in this country. Neil.”