TRANSPORT Minister Sadiq Khan was told the Humber Bridge Board was 'fully supportive' of a campaign to see the controversial tolls cut.

Board chairman Cllr David Gemmell told last night's meeting of the Bridge Board he had raised the issue in a meeting with Mr Khan last month.

But he emphasised the Board could not breach its legal obligations set out under the 1959 Humber Bridge Act.

He met Mr Khan to discuss the financial implications of the ministers decision to block an increase in the tolls - set to cost the Board about £1.15-million this year.

Cllr Gemmell told last night's Bridge Board meeting: "We knew there was the delegation going down (on October 26).

"We took the opportunity to say that the board was fully supportive of what the delegation were doing and we were in favour of what they were requesting.

"We said we hope he would come up with something.

"I have since then been in touch with the various people. I have been in touch with Mark Kirk "leader of North Lincolnshire Council), Carl Minns (leader of Hull City Council) and with Ian Kelly (chief executive of the Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce)."

Board clerk Kim Ryley cautioned: "We are bound by the statute that sets us up."

He said a debt review already scheduled in April 2011 would be the most likely avenue for negotiation.

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