Humber Bridge Toll Increase Inevitable
14 June 2011 by Paul Rhoades
The Government have just released their findings into the Humber Bridge Toll Enquiry.
Here's the statement from the minister himself:
Transport Minister Norman Baker said:
“The Government fully recognises the importance of the Humber Bridge to the economy and communities of the Humber area. That is why we are today starting the second phase of the Government’s review and have also announced a new interest rate offer which will save the Bridge Board around £48m.
“The Humber Bridge Board applied to increase the tolls and it was the Department’s duty to consider that proposal. The independent inspector came down firmly in favour of the board’s proposals and we did not feel it would be right to overrule that advice. However, by pushing ahead with the Government’s review I hope we will be able to help the region and bridge owners find a long term sustainable way forward for this important transport link.”
From the sounds of it an increase to £3 for cars is now inevitable despite the protestations of local Tory MP Andrew Percy and his much publicised campaign to reduce the fees prior to the elections.
This is not good news for the region, having just been granted a pan Humber LEP status this will put a serious hurdle in the way of workers on the south bank hoping to gain employment on the north on any new incentives. Similarly it may well stifle growth and development on the south bank.
Some months ago the Conservatives suggested a Lincolnshire LEP - conspiracy theories abound but you can't help but feel that this move by the government may just make that more of a reality than many would believe.
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Comments
Maybe the Humber Bridge should be renamed The Humber Barrier.
As for joining a Lincolnshire LEP as well as a Pan Humber LEP I think it's a good move, we may as well have our fingers in two pies as opposed to one. Having read Mark Kirks blogg his concern is that now we are in two LEPs we will spread ourselves far too thin and potentially miss out on the benefits, I think not, I believe it will widen our chances of bringing investment to the area.
He headlines his blogg with 'Tories sign us up to Lincolnshire LEP without any consultation', maybe the Tories listened to the electorate and didn't have the blinkered vision of soley wanting a pan Humber LEP. He seamed to listen to only business people and not the people who voted for him, big mistake!
Only time will tell if being in two LEPs is a good move, maybe the Tories knew the Bridge tolls were to increase, thus acting as a barrier to growth, so quickly signed us up to a Lincolnshire LEP.
Admittedly the announcement came as a bit of a shock, and to Mark's credit, he was very vocal as leader telling any one who wanted to listen what he was doing, hence the pan Humber LEP was well publicised at every stage.
I do however agree with Hamst's point that there are other's to whom a Lincolnshire LEP would be a direct benefit, especially for example from the point of view of tourism.
If for example, I was a tea room owner in one of the "Scunthorpe Villages" - say for example Messingham, then membership of Lincolnshire LEP would be excellent from a tourism perspective. So it's plausible to see why they've done it, and lets be honest, some sort of credit or kudos is due there as it will doubtless help the rural economies of Kirton, Messingham and Brigg.
What I do want to highlight however is the lack of Tory consultation which mark my words will get worse, they've removed democracy from the constitution and reduced public accessibility to meetings. They've then squirmed and lied about it and fallen out with their own members about it. This to me is the real story, not the profiteering of tea shop owners.
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