“i agree that it is disgusting that if your visiting prisoners in hull its toll free while if your visiting patients or are a patient you have to pay i have recently been a patient in hull royal and my family and friends not only had the extortionate bridge tolls but the high parking fees and fuel costs to pay so i was very grateful to eceive my visitorsand as i have to go back for more treatment 5 days a week for 4 weeks i am looking to have to do this without a family member and using the hospital transport to get there, whereas if there were no tolls it would be easier tome to justify them taking me although i have said i am not bothered and i will be ok deep down i believe it would benefit me to have someone with me. on the lines of more trade and better economy it was pointed out to me that if access to hull was easier it may take some trade from scunthorpe which is not good but then it might work the other way and scunthorpe might get more visitors . not knowing a great deal about politics etc i am giving a humble opinion that i believe the tolls should be at least reduced do a trial period. but surely people who are ill deserve a free trip across that flaming bridge, and a visit they havent done anything wrong unlike a prisoner who gets a visistor or two free!!”

“never mind using the bridge ,boring way to get to hull anyway.bring back the ferry ,travelling on the ferry was a lot more fun .relaxing pint..better views ,fresh air.and no tolls alan from barton”

“Why don't they give it a months trial and scrap the cost all together and lets see how the local economy grows, if at all?”

“To make better use of the bridge.”

“S.J. of Scunthorpe.
Your revelations concerning the 'Florida experience' seem quite sensible and (in my opinion) deserve some follow up.

My only concern would be that to 'follow it up' would involve a deputation of local councillors flying out to Florida, to investigate the scheme and adapt it to local conditions...at our expense, of course!

Otherwise I like it. Sounds good to me.”

“When I visited Florida there were a number of toll booths there, normally costing no more than $1 to use. This is obviously quite cheap but with numerous tolls the costs soon add up. So they had something called a sunpass for local residents. I believe it is some form of annual permit local residents are able to buy. I don't know the exact cost of this but I was told by a Floridian that it was quite cheap, it meant they didn't have to queue for the tolls as they could drive straight through, and they made huge savings. Could the Humber Bridge board not bring something like this in? Local residents who use the bridge daily to commute, or for business would obviously benefit, and it would cut congestion at the booths. At the same time a similar measure could be brought in for those using the bridge for medical treatment, although I think this should be subsidised or paid for by the government (wishful thinking??!!)
I do agree that the tolls should be reduced to help the economy, and I think a measure like this would be quite helpful. Obviously the annual price of a pass such as this would need to be sunstantially cheaper than what people are paying now. A toll of £1 per crossing would equate to about £520 a year if you were crossing the bridge twice a day for five days every week. So would an annual pass of £450 - £500 work? Something to think about maybe?”

“Tory or Labour isn't the issue so peoples political offiliations are not needed. The bridge according to one leading engineer who helped construct the bridge had the opportunity to have the debt written off in 81 on completion. However as always greed interceeded on the part of local government at the time and we end up with this 'White Elephant ' of a debt that can never be repaid even with continual price hikes. The implications of the bridge and its tolls do and always will have a detrimental effect on the local economies be it North or South of the Humber the flow of labour and commerce are restricted by this cost as ADA from Barton pointed out its £1800 a year to cross the bridge and no ones salary can take a hit like that for long especially in todays economic climate. Abolish the toll completely forget drops to a pound, its a road like any other let it come under the highways department theres enough roadtax paid to fund it, or make it free to local residents and businesses that is those living and working in the North Lincolnshire and Humberside areas who are most effected by the cost of the bridge.”

“Sorry to hijack but wheres the story of NLC losing 11m of tax payers money in the failed icelandic bank! Prolly a Tory idea mebbe!”

“I think its insulting and wrong that travelling over the bridge to see prisoners is free off the toll change yet visiting a sick or even dying patient in Hulls hospitals is changed.”

“Apparently the government have stated that the tolls aren't their concern, it's a 'local issue' and the local councils problem! Well, that's passed the buck then! Are you going to tell me that our esteemed local Labour MPs didn't know this? The petition is nothing more than a red herring, a smoke screen to enhance their standing in the local community, just like the sham that was the Post Office closures. I can't wait for the elections!! So, Morley and Causey et al, had a grand day out (on expenses no doubt) FOR NO GOOD REASON! It's all one big con. They are treating us like the proverbial mushroom, keeping us in the dark and feeding us a load of s**t! Well done Kirky & NLC, enjoy while you can...”