£1-million toll on region's businesses
THE devastating effects of Humber Bridge tolls on the region's businesses will become clear tomorrow when a crucial new report is revealed.
Companies surveyed in the document, put together by Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, show they spend £1.24-million on the tolls every year.
The survey of more than 200 businesses showed more than 80 per cent would make more business trips across the bridge if the tolls were scrapped.
The results will provide a central plank of the report into the impact of the tolls, being officially published tomorrow and presented to Westminster.
Chamber president Carol Thomsett, said: "The Humber Bridge has failed in its original purpose of uniting the two banks of the river because of the high tolls.
"The tolls are a brake on the success of our local economy. The case for them to be reviewed is strong."
For the full story, see today's Scunthorpe Telegraph.
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by las Vegas, Australia
Monday, October 06 2008, 9:01PM
“Could the bussiness effected by the toll rise offer discounts for anyone proving they crossed the bridge to shop?”
by £12 an hour paid toll man, HULL
Monday, October 06 2008, 7:35PM
“BRING BACK THE FERRIES AND THAT WOULD SHOW THOSE GREEDY TOLL BOSSES!
I WOULD GLADLY USE FERRY AGAIN, AND MUCH MORE FUN THAN BORING ROAD OVER RIVER!
surely all the cash they make from tourist office (yes sad but true there really is one!) cheap pens and keyrings, should cover free crossings? you see them all buying souveniers from shop ..WHY? just donate your money to the bring back the ferry fund!
£12 an hour in those toll booth's says im right ?”
by greedy toll goblin, scunthorpe
Monday, October 06 2008, 7:29PM
“and stop those annoying people giving us 5p's back all time in change!
we dont want them thats why we give YOU them in our change .....!
could i also rant and say surely if buy book of tickets there should be decent discount given .. not just few pences! wheres the loyalty in that? come to think of it thats an great idea, like McD's coffee, give us a saver stamp card and for every 5 crossings we get 1 free of charge!
that WOULD work.”
by me, not using the bridge
Monday, October 06 2008, 7:09PM
“Not really into the dispute as its not something i would care to debate about , but would like to add this . A friend of mine recently had the terrible misfortune of getting cancer and travelled to hull for all treatment having to pay all bridge costs herself wereas somebody else i know visited some one in hull prison on nurmerous occasions and got there Bridge tolls paid . Were is the logic in that ...”
by Grandadpop, Scunthorpe
Monday, October 06 2008, 3:05PM
“Hi Emma.
When the bridge - which I can claim to have helped build - first opened, the fee for HGV's was craftily calculated to be a smidgen less than the cost of diesel driving the long way around.
The 'real saving' for hauliers was in time...but the formula for calculating charges has not been constant., it has risen over the years to the extent that there is now hardly any benefit (cost or time-wise) in using the bridge. And this is what is upsetting hauliers now in the grip of recession, especially on the south bank.
Even PSV services are hard pressed to use the bridge and without their various concessions, would probably give up using it altogether.
In fact I remember one bus operator earlier this year, threatening to withdraw services because it was too expensive to cross the bridge.
(I never heard the outcome of that particular row, so I cannot comment on the result).”