NEWS RELEASE
Fri day 30th March 2007

BRIDGE TOLLS

TRANSform Scotland [1], the campaign for sustainable transport, today (Friday 30th March 2007) condemned reports that road tolls on the Tay and Forth Road Bridges would be abolished under an SNP, Tory and now Labour & LibDem government.

Colin Howden, Director of TRANSform Scotland, said:

"Removing bridge tolls would make the general taxpayer pay for bridge maintenance. This would represent a transfer of funds from non-road users to motorists, effectively making those on lower incomes subsidise affluent car commuters.

"In an election campaign where we have heard each party trying to demonstrate their environmental credentials, what we instead see is election give-aways to the motorist.

"It is unfortunate that the constructive proposals the Green Party came forward with earlier this year for 'smart tolls' were thrown out by the Parliament. These new proposals go some way to adopting the Greens' position by having a reduced rate for multi-occupancy vehicles.

"But with toll levels on the Forth Road Bridge so low compared to the Humber Bridge and the Severn Bridge, there is no real incentive to change travel behaviour. If these proposals are accompanied by bridge toll increases for single occupant cars, then that would be a more sustainable option. However, these proposals are not a revenue-neutral policy: this is instead reducing motoring costs and shifting this to the general taxpayer.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. TRANSform Scotland campaigns for a more sensible transport system, one less dependent on unsustainable modes such as the car and the heavy lorry, and more reliant on sustainable modes such as walking, cycling and public transport. <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/members/members.html>

2. Dundee Courier, 'Pledge signals success in tolls campaign' (30/3/07) -
<http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2007/03/30/newsstory9494999t0.asp>

END OF NEWS RELEASE