1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160 
)Id-fashioned tolls ;hould be scrapped
Page 19
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
E AUTOMOBILE Associak has lashed out at tolls on :ain's estuarial bridges and nels, and has described m as "anachronistic."
says: "Instead of inquiries liscuss the raising of tolls — t is proposed to do with the ,ern Bridge — the AA ntains that the toll system whole should be scrap :s director-general, Olaf lbert, described tolls as "an chronism comparable with Turnpike Acts of earlier turies," and the Associasays it sees no reason why h crossings need be conred apart from other secs of motorway.
The Severn Bridge is a classic example. The M4 is currently over 170 miles long, and is free from charges except for the short stretch of bridge necessary over the Severn.
"Yet the bridge is just as much part of the M4 and the roads network generally as many other bridges on which no tolls are levied."
The AA maintains that private road users are already "in credit" with the exchequer through "punitive" fuel tax, and says: "He is soaked yet again when it comes to these tiny but vital links in the country's road network."
It says that the Government has built nearly 1,400 miles of motorway "with many bridges and multi-lane interchanges," upon which no tolls are levied, but it continues to refuse to pay off the toll debts, which are likely to exceed £200m when the Humber Bridge is completed.
"The Government should wipe the slate clean before these debts reach even more ludicrous proportions."
The Freight Transport Association, which asked for a public inquiry into the entire question of tolls earlier this year, declined to comment further.
A spokesman told CM: "Until more information is available, we cannot comment on the AA's statement."