Tunnel tyrants charge
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TYNE and Wear County Council is trying to compel freight traffic to use the new Tyne tunnel on which toll charges have been increased, it has been claimed.
Hauliers in the area have alleged that the council is trying to impose on the area hgv routes which lead to the tunnel. This would lead to more traffic using the tunnel for which it levies a toll.
Mr D. H. LeConte, secretary of the northern area RHA, told CM that there had been no consultations with the Association about the possibility of the new routes being imposed.
A spokesman for the Tyne and Wear County Council explained that the proposal was to re-route Al to the Tyne tunnel in order to relieve the city centre of Newcastle. " But there have been protest groups at work complaining about the number of heavy lorries," he said.
The spokesman claimed that the new charges for the tunnel, which have been put up by half, are still " minimal " com pared with Continental charges.
"On the routes question, pressure from the Government to press on with these routes has been lifted and it now seems as though they will be delayed for some time.