VOTE: North Lincolnshire must choose between Humber Bridge tolls and road upgrades
HUMBER Bridge tolls could be axed – if the region sacrifices funding for crucial road upgrades, the new transport has secretary said.
Phillip Hammond said North Lincolnshire's leaders face a "tough decision" over whether to choose funding for transport links or to have the bridge toll debt written off.
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Road upgrades which could be affected include the A63 Castle Street in Hull and the A160 near Immingham, a crucial part of a bid to create a South Bank super port.
But Mr Hammond warned the region cannot have both due to funding cuts.
He told the Scunthorpe Telegraph: "These are the kind of tough decisions that communities are going to have to deal with, deciding which of the various pressing problems is most important to the area.
"In relation to bridge tolls, you've essentially got a trade off between do we invest more in infrastructure or do we use the available money to avoid, in the case of bridge tolls, charging?"
Mr Hammond visited the region before the election to hear the arguments for tackling the tolls, which critics argue are stifling the local economy.
He was then Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, but was unexpectedly moved to head up the Transport department when the Conservatives entered Government with the Liberal Democrats.
Mr Hammond said the Government had learned lessons from the last recession in the 1990s and would not cut back too hard on spending for new transport projects.
He said: "There is only going to be a certain amount of money, and it's likely to be quite limited. If money is spent in one area it won't be able to be spent in another."
The upgrade of the A160, seen as a vital step in bringing thousands of jobs to the South Humber Bank, was approved in the run-up to the election by the last Labour government.
But the project, which was set to cost up to £132-million, has been put on hold until a Government spending review in October as ministers move to cut the nation's record £154-billion deficit.
The Telegraph understands the Department for Transport is still involved in detailed discussions with the Humber Bridge Board about the level of the tolls, and the bridge's long-term funding.
But Mr Hammond's comments suggest the region faces a stark choice between new roads and an end to the tolls.
The Chief Executive of Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, Ian Kelly, gave a measured response yesterday.
"We had a very productive and insightful meeting with Mr Hammond as Shadow Chief Secretary last year and much appreciated his candour," he said.
"We did of course also highlight that spending on transport in Yorkshire and particularly the Humber has been amongst the lowest in the UK for a long period of time.
"We therefore now hope as Transport Secretary he will take this into account when looking at our three priorities of writing off the Humber Bridge debt and upgrading Castle Street in Hull and the A160."
Long-serving campaigner Jenny Walton, who leads Humber Action Against Tolls, said: "It's just infuriating when you think about the billions upon billions that are being dropped into London."
Bridge Board Chairman Councillor David Gemmell said: "The bridge board's function is to run the bridge and pay the debt.
"Whatever happens we have to do that, we're legally bound to do that, and we'll take whatever steps are required."
10 Comments
by Peter, Brigg
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 5:35PM
“It seems to me there's no question - the Bridge Debt has to go. The toll seriously limits travel from the South bank and is a huge burden hanging over the council tax payers of Hull. There will be other chances and other ways to develop roads but there may never be another chance to get rid of the Bridge Debt.
Come on Councillors, North and South, seize the opportunity. We have petitioned and argued long enough, now's the time to act.”
by Englander, Scunthorpe
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 11:51AM
“your right robs, you cannot blame new government, they have to pay for the sins of the last one, cut back or stop foreign aid there would be plenty of cash left for both projects , also we could bring our troops back from the war zones , or my favourite pull out the EU since joining our unemployed has increased migrant workers taking a good share of jobs , and we have to apply to job agency's ,are we getting a fair deal ,”
by RobS, Goole
Monday, July 26 2010, 11:49AM
“You can't spend what you haven't got. All the morons bemoaning a new government must be some of the parasites who do well under Labour. The region never has received a fair share of infrastructure funding, I'm keen to see whether the new government do more than the last, but the inequalities in the way monies are handed out to regions in this country run very deep and will take a long time to sort out. ALL bridges and crossings should be nationally funded or have an identical low toll amount.”
by Ahmed Polska, over here
Sunday, July 25 2010, 9:11PM
“Close the bridge for me, refund any monies robbed to tidy up 'umberside North and concentrate on this area alone.
'ull has got nothing I want !”
by willy, wonka
Sunday, July 25 2010, 12:54PM
“its like Andy Parsons said .What do you get if you mix Blue and Yellow .... a crap Govt.”
by Anon, Scunny
Sunday, July 25 2010, 12:10PM
“Thought Immingham WAS supposed to be a super port !! We have been asking for tolls to be scrapped long, long before this "cutting back" and it should be given preference. This is just another excuse for putting it off. There should be no question as to where the priorities are !!!!!! The Bridge debt being paid off is a money-spinner for the Govt and helps to pay MP's expenses.”
by Ian, Scunthorpe
Saturday, July 24 2010, 2:22PM
“This is like having a surgeon say - "obviously you need two legs but which one shall I cut off!" And it's even worse as if you read the Minister's words he doesn't even promise either! So we might not even get the road upgrades that were approved before the Tories and Lib Dems go into power. So disappointing and so different to all the election leaflets they put out..........................”
by Chris, Barton
Saturday, July 24 2010, 1:51PM
“Mick - I agree about the arrogance. This either/or situation is diabolical! It costs £1.20 per car to go through the Tyne Tunnel, which is over a mile long, and a new one is being built with a large amount of road interchanges. The completion date is 2012 - the cost of that must be astronomical. Who is paying for that? Do the public have to foot the bill for that? Then it seems the original one now in use is to be modernised ! WE - the public - did not commission the Humber Bridge but are left paying the bill. The debt should be written off and I am sure the public would not mind paying a nominal amount of around 50p per car to cover costs. I certainly wouldn't.”
by Mick Can't, Word Press UK
Saturday, July 24 2010, 11:06AM
“What an arrogant response from this minister,in the grand scheme the Bridge tolls are a drop in the ocean , personally I'd keep them anyway.Kirk and his cronies have done enough damage to our high street without this excuse for more people to go to Hull”
by Keith Peat, Sutton on Sea
Saturday, July 24 2010, 10:14AM
“Sorry ST. There should be no trade off. We are paying £50 Billion per year in driver taxes. So why just force an either or vote on your readers. How about the billions a year wasted in the Road Safety Industry most of it for profit and not to stop one single accident? How about scrapping the 40 or so so called 'safety' partnerships who can only operate by skewed stats, sleight of hand and all spouting the same mantra? Accidents were falling prior to them anyway. Revise the unscientific speed review and save about £2billion every year for every 1 mph traffic is slowed plus the cost of criminalising safe drivers too.
Revise your poll and add those options to see what people would rather have. As it stands neither option is one I can select. GT are supporting a 'trade off' with this poll!”