Press reports of Skye
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Quiet roads could cut fuel bills toll scuffle are denied
• Reports of a scuffle between protesters against Skye bridge tolls and Scottish Office ministers last Saturday are being denied by members of the campaigning group Skye and Kyle Against Tolls SKAT).
The protest was staged by SKAT on the anniversary of the introduction of tolls on the Skye Bridge as part of its campaign for free crossings. On the same day Scottish Transport Minister Calutn Macdonald and Trade Minister Brian Wilson were present on official business.
A number of Scottish papers claimed that the protesters were involved in a scuffle with the ministers, but SKAT claims the protest was peaceful and happened more than a mile away at the Kyle toll booth.
SKAT member John Campbell says a couple of hundred people formed a tailback about a mile long but it was a peaceful protest accompanied by singing and dancing. "We had police and TV watching us but no one produced a picture of any trouble," he says. "It was a successful protest and we will keep plugging away until people see the justice of our case."
The ministers were present to hand over the island F:ilean Ban to the community. No-one at the Scottish Office was available for comment.