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People 'failed' by Severn Bridge toll rises - AM

AS the charges for crossing the Severn Bridges into Gwent rise again, a politician has accused the government of failing the people.

CALL: Mike German AM ACCUSATION: Mike German AM

Mike German, Liberal Democrat AM for South Wales East, had called for a freeze on the tolls but they increased yesterday by five per cent.

Last month the Highways Agency announced the new prices would reflect the recent reduction in the rate of VAT.

There was a storm of protest when the VAT cut was not passed on immediately to motorists using the bridges.

But Mr German pointed out that despite this, the tolls had still gone up.

“Labour has failed the people of South Wales. I have written three times to the responsible UK government minister asking that the tolls be frozen as a means of stimulating the economy of South Wales.

"The tolls are a tax on business and tourism. If the UK government were serious about the injecting support for our economy then they would be freezing the tolls."

He alleged that already many key distribution companies on the Welsh side of the bridges were considering the impact of the increases on jobs.

Welsh manufacturing was taking a bigger hit than any other part of the UK and the cost of getting their goods to market will now be greater, said Mr German.

The new toll prices were introduced as stipulated in the Severn Bridges Act 1992 which sets out the basis for the yearly increases in rates. Since 1989, the annual rises have been calculated in line with changes in the Retail Price Index.


Your Say YourFree Press

dead man walkin, cwmbran man says...
02/01/09

Politicians failing the people who elect them, whod have thought it.

lostinspace, Newport says...
02/01/09

The tolls went up by 10p for a car from £5.30 to £5.40 - that is 1.9% not the 5% as the article states. Argus check your facts before printing !

Mr Bump., Newport says...
02/01/09

lostinspace wrote:
The tolls went up by 10p for a car from £5.30 to £5.40 - that is 1.9% not the 5% as the article states. Argus check your facts before printing !
You are wrong Lost in space, because they have now decided to drop the VAT to 15%. The rise was 20p, but the deduction in vat has only made it go up by 10p

lostinspace, Newport says...
03/01/09

Mr Bump a 10 p rise is a 10 p rise doesnt matter how it is made up - its not a 5% increase

Lynn, Lanandagswork@aol.com says...
03/01/09

The Labour Government have failed all of Britain for eleven years, Brown voted himself into Government, signed Britain into the new EU treaty, ruined and bankrupted Britain, so Brown could bring in the new EU money, Britain is now ruled by the EU thanks to Brown and his Labour Government, The Severn Bridge’s are owned by the French, Brown is in the pocket of the French so no way will this Labour Government upset the French, everyone agrees that the bridge toll fees should be reduced to £1 per vehicle to maintain the Severn Bridge’s and NOT line people’s pockets! Britain needs a New Government and Leader to bring Britain back to the country it once was - just like USA.


Stonebridge, says...
04/01/09

What worries me more, is that in that picture, it seems Mike German has been waiting for that train for weeks now. I blame The Government/ The Council/ The Assembly/ Gordon Browne/ The Argus.
Choose your favourite.

Mr Bump., Newport says...
04/01/09

Lynn wrote:
The Labour Government have failed all of Britain for eleven years, Brown voted himself into Government, signed Britain into the new EU treaty, ruined and bankrupted Britain, so Brown could bring in the new EU money, Britain is now ruled by the EU thanks to Brown and his Labour Government, The Severn Bridge’s are owned by the French, Brown is in the pocket of the French so no way will this Labour Government upset the French, everyone agrees that the bridge toll fees should be reduced to £1 per vehicle to maintain the Severn Bridge’s and NOT line people’s pockets! Britain needs a New Government and Leader to bring Britain back to the country it once was - just like USA.
Didn't the French acquire the old bridge under the tories and build the new bridge? Wasn't the toll increases agreed by the same tory Government? As far as i can see the French have done a thing wrong, so why should this government be held responsible?