| At a meeting in Dundee today, the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board approved a formal response to the Executive’s request for factual evidence for or against tolls as part of the latest review.
It repeated that it wished to see tolls abolished.
“It appears to the board to be inherently discriminatory to the people of Fife, Dundee and Angus for tolls to be levied on this particular crossing whilst other, similar crossings such as Erskine and Skye have had the tolls removed,” said board chairman and Dundee Lord Provost John Letford.
Contrary to the Executive’s view, the response said tolls created far more congestion than the impact on travel patterns that might result from removing them, as was demonstrated earlier this year when tolling was suspended due to an industrial dispute.
“There was no congestion in the city centre area associated with the bridge during the evening peak period, in spite of the fact that the number of vehicles crossing the bridge that day was consistent with any other normal day.”
Mr Letford said the congestion caused air quality problems. “High levels of pollution are recorded immediately adjacent to the approach ramps, caused by vehicles queuing to pass through the tolls,” he said.
It was stated that the tolls have an adverse impact on the economy of the areas around the bridge, as most of the £3.6 million collected annually is paid by people whose journeys start or finish in those areas.
Mr Letford said that, whatever the outcome of the review, it was important that local control and influence over how the bridge is managed and operated should be retained.
He said the board expected that, should the tolls be removed, the remaining debt on the bridge would be written off by the Executive.
Angus councillor Frank Ellis said the public had been asking if money had yet been spent on proposals to move the toll plaza to the south side of the bridge, a move estimated to cost more than £13 million.
He was assured by board treasurer David Dorward that no expenditure had been incurred on that proposal.
Dundee councillor Nigel Don asked what the situation was regarding the need to upgrade the toll collection equipment, and was told the tendering process for the work was under way.
However, Mr Dorward said any decision on the tender should be delayed until after it was known whether or not the tolls were to be abolished. |
