Bid to reduce Mersey tunnel tolls defeated as councillors vote to freeze them

Feb 10 2010 by Liam Murphy, Birkenhead News

Bid to reduce tunnel tolls defeated as councillors vote to freeze them until at least April 2011

“Under the Mersey Tunnels Act, we are obliged to keep tolls in line with RPI, but there is a clause which allows us to freeze them in exceptional economic or social conditions.

“There is, however, no provision under the Act which allows any other variation. This would require a change in the Act itself.”

Dave Loudon, the chairman of the Mersey Tunnels Users Association (MTUA), welcomed the decision to freeze the toll levels. He said: "This will save a regular user from having to hand over an extra £100 over the next 12 months.”

But the MTUA claimed there remained a “very big sting in the tail, as the report to members implied that the toll will almost certainly be increased in 2011”.

But Cllr Dowd said: “Claims we were considering a 20p rise are complete nonsense.”