Humber Bridge tolls rise scrapped

BUSINESSES have won a major victory after it was announced that tolls on the Humber Bridge will not be increased.

The Government said the tolls would remain at existing levels because of the current economic climate.

The Humber Bridge Board had proposed increasing the tolls from £2.70 to £2.90 for cars to help pay off the bridge’s £333m debt.

Businesses in the area, including SMEs, had been worried that they would be hit financially by the proposed increases and camapaigners fought the issue.

The decision not to increase the tolls was made by the Department for Transport (DfT). It considered a report after a public inquiry in March.

Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce, which has campaigned against the increases. welcomed the announcement.

Richard Kendall, policy executive at Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is excellent news for the local economy and a fantastic result for everyone who has been campaigning on this. 

“Increasing the tolls now would have been absolutely the wrong thing to do as we try to get through the recession, but given the history of toll increases here and elsewhere I think many people thought our chances of stopping the increase were slim. 

“We could hardly be more delighted that the Government has listened to the concerns of the region.

“Now that the inquiry process is out of the way, we hope to be able to make progress on the wider issue of the tolls and meet with Ministers to work out a long term solution. High tolls are in nobody’s interests: they discourage investment and make this area less competitive, in turn reducing the Government’s tax take.”

Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce is playing a leading part in the campaign against Humber Bridge tolls, working alongside the four Humber local authorities and local MPs.

A year-long trial of a reduced charge of £1 was also proposed.

Transport Minister Sadiq Khan said: “I do not believe it is right for the Humber Bridge tolls to be raised in the current economic climate and so, after careful consideration, I have decided not to accept the proposed increases.”

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