Party has no plan to scrap Gateway toll

LABOUR has no plans to scrap tolls on the Mersey Gateway Bridge if it was in Government, the party has confirmed.

Former Conservative Chancellor George Osborne pledged that drivers in Warrington and Cheshire West And Chester would have tolls on the crossing waived ahead of the 2015 General Election.

But many of Warrington’s motorists have faced a £1,080 yearly bill to cross the site following a Government U-turn.

Halton residents living in council tax bands A to F can pay a £10 annual administration fee to make unlimited personal trips over the crossing between Runcorn and Widnes.

Some of Labour’s MPs, including Warrington South MP Faisal Rashid, have been calling on the Government to remove the charges.

However, Labour has confirmed it has no plans to scrap tolls at the site, with the party saying it does not ‘currently have a commitment’ on the issue.

But Mr Rashid says he still has ‘no intention of backing down on this fight’.

He said: “Regardless of whether or not you were involved in politics when this promise was broken, there is now an opportunity to right this wrong.

“It is high time the Tories took responsibility for their failure and finally made good on their commitment to our town.

“I have been campaigning for toll-free travel to be extended to Warrington

South residents since my election and I will continue to do so until this tax on my constituents is scrapped once and for all.”

Tory Warrington South parliamentary candidate Andy Carter also shared his views on Mr Osborne’s pre-election announcement in 2015.

He said: “It was a pledge made before I was involved in politics.

“I think it is highly unlikely, whichever Government is in place, that there will be changes to tolls on estuary bridges – and it’s not just the Mersey Gateway toll bridge, it’s all toll bridges across estuaries.

“I think the promises that were made are very difficult and were wrong.

“If you are going to make a promise, it should be a promise you can stick to.”