| In response to Parliamentary questions by Dundee East MSP Shona Robison, Transport Minister Tavish Scott revealed that a budget of £85,000 — excluding VAT — had been allocated for the research.
He also confirmed that the full cost of the study, which has received a total of 89 submissions, would not be known until it is concluded. A draft report is expected by the end of the year.
SNP member Ms Robison said, “The study is, in my opinion, simply a consultation too far. I also believe the suggested cost of £85,000 is frankly a waste of money.
“I asked the Executive questions to find out what stage the review was at and they have replied that a draft report could potentially be made to the Executive by the end of this year.
“That all sounds great, but I still maintain this could have been sorted months ago if MSPs had voted for my motion in March calling for tolls to be abolished.
“This would have allowed the people of Dundee and Fife to cross the Tay and Forth without the regressive charges.”
The Dundee East MSP said she was “still at a loss” as to why the review into the economic, social and environmental impact and cost of tolls on the two bridges needed to go ahead.
“The answer states that the consultants will conduct ‘primary research by consulting businesses and bridge users to provide an understanding of how individuals and businesses behave in relation to the bridge tolls’,” she continued.
“I thought the process of consultation had been done ad nauseum.
“Let me tell the Scottish Executive for free, saving them the thousands of pounds spent on this latest delaying tactic, what the people of Dundee and Fife want.
“They want the tolls abolished and want shown the same level of respect as was shown to the people using the Erskine Bridge.”
Tolls on that bridge were removed in March, but MSPs also voted for further examination of tolls on Tay and Forth.
It was not clear how that research differs from a previous 18-month study which led to a “final” decision just a month previously to keep the crossing charges.
The transport minister confirmed that the consultant appointed to conduct the study, Steer Davies Gleave, is “progressing a number of aspects of the work.”
He continued, “This includes developing the traffic modelling work done in Phases 1 and 2 of the Tolled Bridges Review; conducting primary research, including consulting businesses and bridge users, to provide an understanding of how individuals and businesses behave in relation to the bridge tolls, and assessing the economic and other impacts of the tolls.
“We expect the consultant to submit a draft final report to the Executive by the end of the year.” |
