Bridge ticket sales axed in toll protest
NORTH Lincolnshire Council is axing the sale of Humber Bridge tickets at two offices.
The move, at the Brigg and Barton local link offices, is part of the council's bid to urge the Humber Bridge Board to rethink plans to hike toll prices.
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CUT: The council is to stop selling Humber Bridge tickets at Brigg and Barton local link offices as it calls for a better deal for customers.
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BACKING: The council has joined 11,000 others in joing the Scunthorpe Telegraph's A Toll Too Far campaign to see Humber Bridge tolls cut or abolished.
Corporate services cabinet member Coun Steve Swift said: "The council has made it clear we are totally opposed to the high cost of the Humber Bridge toll.
"The evidence is there in the research, the absurdly high toll cost damages our economy and impacts adversely on our resident using the Humber Bridge.
"The Humber Bridge Board needs to look at the cost of tolls and for as long as they remain in place it needs to make it more attractive to buy tickets, including via its website.
"As things stand, loyal bridge users receive a very poor deal. Their loyalty is not rewarded.
"The present arrangement has lasted 13 years. The council believes the time to act is now."
But Bridgemaster Peter Hill said he was disappointed by the move.
He said: "I first heard about this proposal on Friday and it is very disappointing that, without any discussions with the bridge board, North Lincolnshire Council is removing this facility for our customers."
For the full story, buy today's Scunthorpe Telegraph.
9 Comments
by SJ, Scunthorpe
Thursday, June 04 2009, 3:05PM
“Looby and Chris, Barrow - last time I checked it wasn't the council's responsibility to sell these tickets, they don't own or maintain the Bridge, the Humber Bridge Board do!!! Therefore the council was doing the Bridge Board a 'favour' at the expense of council tax payers.
If you've got a problem with the cost of postage then take it up with the Bridge Board, they're the ones charging you in the first place!”
by l;ooby, i cross it every day
Thursday, June 04 2009, 1:09PM
“no its not easier to stop at the bridge on my way home jon what a bind, ive got other things i need to rush home to, the last thing on my mind is to stop and look at the thing and wait and get tickets every 2 weeks thats why someone else gets me them, maybe they need to change the times on the back of the books then I might know they had changed their opening hours too”
by Netty, Hull
Thursday, June 04 2009, 12:40PM
“Buy the tickets at the Toll Booth like everyone had to do when the Bridge first opened. You have to stop at the Toll Booth to hand your ticket in before you cross to either side of the Humber. Or is that something that people do not grasp?”
by Axe The Tolls, Barton
Thursday, June 04 2009, 12:36PM
“Congrtulations to the council on taking action. Whoever came up with this idea, deserves a medal.
By my reckoning we as North Lincs Council Tax payer over the last 13 years at £20k a year have added a further £260k to the coffers of the Bridge Board.
The very same Bridge Board who then used that money to hire a barrister to argue against North Lincolnshire Council in the fight against increasing the toll!!!
Forget MP expenses, how on earth can the council justify not taking this action!!
At long last well done North Lincolnshire Council!
I for once congratulate the council for taking a firm stance on behalf of hard pressed council tax payers”
by Chris, Barrow
Thursday, June 04 2009, 12:28PM
“This is a disgrace and is NOT in the interests of the public. Another thoughtless decision by NLC. Are N L Council going to pay the high cost of postage the Bridge Board charge to send these tickets out? Whilst there is a charge for crossing that dam bridge, we need tickets, so why stop selling them - won't make any difference to the decision by our corrupt MPs.”
by jon, hull
Thursday, June 04 2009, 11:36AM
“Looby,
The bridge ticket office has extended it's late nights to every week night - happened several months ago. Surely it's easier for you to stop at the bridge than go into a council office?”
by SJ, Scunthorpe
Thursday, June 04 2009, 11:28AM
“If the Humber Bridge Board are 'disappointed' the service has been removed, then why don't they use some of their extortionate toll money to pay North Lincolnshire Council to provide the service, rather than the cost being dumped on the council tax payer, the majority of whom probably don't use the bridge that regularly, if at all.
I'm sure over the course of a year the extra money the Bridge Board are about to add to the toll would pay for the service to be provided.”
by bartonion, barton
Thursday, June 04 2009, 10:54AM
“Another stupid idea by the idiots in charge at nlc so does this decision mean that because I don't agree with the high cost of poll tax I have to pay to nlc I can stop paying part of it due to a reduced service?”
by looby, i cross it every day
Thursday, June 04 2009, 8:24AM
“Well done Barton for closing your office. now ill have to travel into beverley to get bridge tickets as I work there or get mine when the ticket office has a late night. A family member got mine when I needed them, What do we pay our council tax for??? At least they can now make 1 redundant in there.”