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Wednesday, October 08, 2008, 09:00
And YOU can join the battle, by filling out the coupon in today's Grimsby Telegraph and putting your name to our Toll Too Far petition.
Together, we will call for the Government to enable the tolls to be scrapped by cancelling the landmark's £330-million debt.
As reported, yesterday we headed for Westminster to take the findings of a landmark report into the impact of the Humber Bridge tolls to those in charge.
The exodus to the capital came as the Humber Bridge Toll Study – commissioned by North East Lincolnshire Council, and the other three unitary authorities bordering the bridge – was officially launched at the House of Commons.
Our aim was to force them to acknowledge by reducing the tolls the region would be better off by a massive £1-billion over the next 25 years.
The economy of North East Lincolnshire alone would get a boost of £131-million if tolls are completely abolished, and £68-million if tolls are reduced.
And although the same number of patients would travel across the Humber for medical treatment, and Grimsby retailers could be hit with a loss of five per cent as shoppers head to Hull, our call has gained the backing of our region's big hitters.
Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell said: "It is a good report. The trouble from the study's point of view is that the actual benefit of abolishing the tolls will often go to Hull.
"Benefits will come on the south bank because we have got lots of plans for development."
There was no representative for the Department for Transport (DfT) present at the official launch of the report in the House of Commons yesterday, despite being invited.
But MP for Cleethorpes, Shona McIsaac, said she was not disappointed by their non-appearance.
She said: "I don’t think we intended for someone from the DfT to be here today because none of us had read the report in detail."
She added that before round two can start, politicians, councillors, and businesses must sit around the drawing board and devise a plan of action to drive forward the campaign.
She said: "We need to go away and look at the report in detail, put the next step of the campaign together and that is when we will present the case to ministers.
"For years we have been saying no to toll increases, demanding a reduction on tolls for the Humber Bridge or concessions for people travelling to access lifesaving cancer treatments.
"But the report has given us the evidence and ammunition to take that campaign further forward.
"Our next step is to lobby the new Secretary of State for Transport and his junior ministers.
"We’ve had a good relationship with ministers in the past so we want to use this evidence and then take a delegation from people in the local councils, community and take them to put the case to ministers."
The campaign is being run in conjunction with our sister newspapers the Hull Daily Mail and the Scunthorpe Telegraph.
The Humber Bridge was built with the aid of a £90-million loan, which has escalated to £350-million – more than three times the cost to construct it.
Every year, at least 75 per cent of the £21-million made from 6.6-million journeys goes to service the debt.
The Grimsby Telegraph is urging the Government to write off the Humber Bridge debt, which currently stands at £333-million.
In order to meet the annual £3-million running cost of maintaining the bridge, vehicles, need pay no more than £1 each way to help towards the upkeep of the landmark.
Ms McIsaac added: "I think a substantial reduction – the report suggests a £1 toll – would certainly put a lot more money into the local economy but still provide sufficient funds to maintain the bridge."
Currently, a proposed 20p rise would result in the return cost of crossing the bridge increasing to £5.80 for car drivers. Lorry drivers face a rise of up to £1.60, meaning a return crossing would cost £39.80 should the new charges go ahead.
NELC's Coun Geoff Lowis has urged campaigners to stress why scrapping or reducing the tolls would be good for Grimsby.
The Lib Dem Park ward councillor and portfolio holder for regeneration and housing was one of the delegation to travel to Westminster yesterday.
He said: "What matters now is where we take it from here, and that depends on the reaction of the Government.
"We had 20 minutes down here so it wasn’t really possible to go too much in-depth, but we got across that it would bring more jobs particularly in terms of logistics.
"In terms of regeneration – which is what I am interested in – scrapping the tolls would give us a larger pool of labour across the Humber, which is a big plus.
"The question I asked was what the research showed for Grimsby.
"Allowing the movement across the bridge – would we lose good jobs here?
"I was showed the retail it would bring to Grimsby, which would be most welcome."
However, he said while scrapping the tolls would benefit the area, it could also have a downside.
Coun Lowis said: "I look at it very cynically with regards to government intentions.
"They will look at it from a political point of view as they would have done when the bridge was built in the first place.
"The ball is very much in their court. We have to persuade the Ministry of Transport and the treasury to write this debt off.
"They will look at it and probably say ‘what about the issue of other tolls in other parts of the country’.
"We have to stress why it would be good for Grimsby."
Speaking after the launch of the study last night, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "The Government should look again at the level of tolls on the Humber Bridge."
Sign our petition by cutting out the coupon in today's Grimsby Telegraph, or clicking on to www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/bridgetolls
At the official launch of the Humber Bridge Toll Study at the House of Commons are (from left) Ian Cawsey, MP for Brigg and Goole, Greg Knight, MP for East Yorkshire, Shona McIsaac, MP for Cleethorpes, Austin Mitchell MP for Grimsby, and Elliott Morley, MP for Scunthorpe.
Rob Atkinson interview
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