Campaign for toll free access across the bridges’ gains momentum

A CAMPAIGN opposing the impending imposition of tolls on the Mersey bridges has been given further endorsement from the Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust.
Under the current plans for the bridges the intended road tolls would be imposed on all Warrington residents who use the current Silver Jubilee Bridge and new Mersey Gateway Crossing at Runcorn. A ‘discount pass’ for Warrington drivers would cost £90 per month which would equate to an annual cost of over £1,000 per year.
Support against the bridge tolls has been pledged in a letter sent to Leader of the Council, Councillor Terry O’Neill by Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust Chairman, Allan Massey, who suggested that the tolls would have a detrimental impact on access to hospitals for patients, visitors and staff.
The Trust felt that if a toll was introduced drivers would try to find alternative routes, creating more through traffic and congestion within Warrington town centre. This congestion would also have a negative effect on the shuttle bus provided by the NHS trust between the two hospitals of Warrington and Halton.
In December 2014, Councillor O’Neill wrote to businesses asking for their support for the campaign to keep the bridges toll free for Warrington Residents. This resulted in 256 registrations of support, including that of the support of Warrington Chamber of Commerce, against tolls being implemented.
Councillor O’Neill, (pictured right) said, “This further endorsement from the NHS Trust against the implementation of bridge tolls outlines just how unpopular these tolls would be for everyone.
“We have had a very strong response to the campaign so far and rightly so. The negative impact that the tolls could potentially have on essential public services, such as access to the hospitals, really drives home just how disruptive the tolls could be.”
He added: “I feel that the effect on Warrington could be potentially disastrous. I would encourage other businesses and organisations to join the lobby to ensure that the bridges are toll free for Warrington residents.”