Protesters march over toll increase plans

Members of the Tamar Toll Action Group staged a protest in Plymouth over the proposals

Protesters voiced their anger at proposed toll rises to Tamar crossings in Plymouth as an inquiry into the plans began.

Tamar Toll Action Group marched from the city's railway station to the Copthorne Hotel where a public inquiry into the increases for Tamar bridge and the Torpoint Ferry started earlier.

Proposals to raise the tolls for cars and vans from £2.60 to £3.00 or from £1.30 to £1.50 for Tamar Tag in November are being discussed at the hearing.

Councillor Martin Worth, joint chairman of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee, said tolls rises had been proposed as revenues and traffic had fallen since the pandemic.

Tamar bridge and Torpoint Ferry tolls are payable by people travelling from Cornwall into Devon. There are no charges travelling the other way.

The inquiry, which is expected to last four days, is being led by an independent inspector who will prepare a report for the Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, who will make a final decision on the tolls.

Scott Slavin from Tamar Toll Action Group said there are fears the tolls would become unaffordable

Scott Slavin, vice-chairman of Tamar Toll Action Group, said increasing the fares would put more strain on people who needed to make the crossing regularly.

"The cost to us as a family is about £300 to £500 a year," Mr Slavin, who lives in Saltash, said.

"Now to some people who are wealthy, that might not seem like a lot, but there are many people who can't afford that out of their pocket and many people who spend much more to get to work."

Anna Gelderd, Labour's MP for South East Cornwall, said the crossings were a "lifeline" for many people and businesses, and the proposed increases would hit them hard.

Councillor Martin Worth said falls in revenue and traffic had led to the proposals to raise toll fares

Mr Worth - who represents Saltash, Trematon and Landrake at Cornwall Council - said the committee that ran the crossings had "exhausted every revenue" it could.

He said the increases had been proposed because revenues had fallen, in part due to the pandemic.

"People are choosing not to travel as much - they're working from home more - so that is our position," Mr Worth said. "We cannot find revenue from other places."