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WESTM NS TEE HAUL

23rd February 1980
Page 7
Page 7, 23rd February 1980 — WESTM NS TEE HAUL
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

WHEN PRINCIPLES raise their ugly heads, then commonsense flees, defeated.

That might not have been one of the things which Confucius said, but the thought could well have entered the head of the sage had his shade been hovering in the Commons when MPs were trying to do away with tolls on the Mersey Tunnels.

There were telling arguments for and against, and all of them came from local MPs — which, after all, was only right, fox they were discussing a private, not a Government, Bill which affected only the County of Merseyside.

But when the time came to vote Members from constituencies hundred5. of miles away, some of whom had prob. ably never set foot in Liverpool, had then say. The Government was against the move, so that was that.

Led by Transport Minister Normar Fowler, 110 Tories trooped into the "No' Lobby, while Labour and Liberals headed by Albert Booth could mustel only 48 "Ayes."

Now, had the voting been limited te Liverpool-orientated MP — had the Righi Honourable Member for Huyton regist ered his view, for instance — the resul• could well have been different.

But that is not the way Parliament run! its affairs.

The bold MP who tried to abolish th( tolls, David Alton, the Liberal for Edg( Hill, was dealing with ancient history — Parliament agreed to the charges in 1929 22 years before Mr Alton was born.

But he had done his homework an revealed that two leaders of Liverpoo Council had pledged that the Mersey am Wallasey Tunnels would be made toll free.

However, he complained, in 1980 it cos 30p for a car and 70p for vehicles ove; three tons, which many could not afford Frequently transporters, hauliers am businessmen were unable to carry thei commodities as successfully am economically as they would wish becaus, of the large tolls.

So, if tolls were abolished, who woul, provide the money needed to run an maintain the tunnels? The Mersey Tunne cost £8m, the annual operating cost i around the £3m mark, and a couple c years ago there was a deficit of nearl; £23.

Mr Alton had a simple answer . . use the money which would be spent o: the inner ring road, even do away wit: the Merseyside County Council.


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