Tolls set to rise at privately-owned bridge

The bridge toll will shortly increase from 40p to £1 for cars

Tolls are due to rise at a privately-owned bridge in North Yorkshire for the first time in 20 years after it was found to be losing money.

The Grade II listed Aldwark Bridge spans the River Ure between Boroughbridge and Easingwold.

For cars, the price to cross the bridge will increase from 40p to £1 and from £1 to £2 for goods vehicles.

Bridge owner Alex Bell said he felt a "sense of deep relief" after Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved the changes.

According to a report by the Planning Inspectorate, tolls at the bridge have not increased since 2005.

In 2020, a structural inspection took place and found large cracks, rotted timber and corrosion to the bridge.

Mr Bell, who runs Aldwark Toll Bridge LLP, said he had spent hundreds of thousands of pounds to make sure the necessary repairs were carried out and the bridge could remain open.

"The bridge has taken a lot of work and a huge amount of investment and we're relieved that the bridge has now got some security and a future that can be more more less guaranteed," he said.

"The number of vehicles crossing the bridge wasn't enough to sustain it and it was actually losing money.

"By increasing the tolls it has allowed the bridge now to be financially viable, which secures its future for the residents of Easingwold and Aldwark."

'Direct financial burden'

Mr Bell said he was waiting for the approval to be ratified within the next couple of days and then fees could increase immediately.

After the first three years, the tolls will go up in line with inflation, eventually increasing to £1.40 for cars and £2.60 for goods vehicles after 10 years.

The plans received 101 objections from people who argued the increases were too steep and believed the bridge should be council-run.

Sir Alec Shelbrooke, MP for Wetherby and Easingwold, told the Planning Inspectorate the changes would "impose a direct financial burden on local families, businesses, and communities".

He said: "The average family using the bridge for their daily commute will see their toll expenses rise by £624 per year in the immediate term.

"Over the next decade, this burden will escalate to an eye-watering £1,040 per year.

"This is not a small increase—it is a massive additional cost imposed on households that are already grappling with the rising cost of living."

However, Mr Bell said if the bridge was to close due to not being financially viable, bridge users would be left further out of pocket by having to make the journey around the river.

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