umber receipts now
Page 5
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
m the Road Haulage Associa n the Freight Transport Assotion, and the Transport and neral Workers Union.
t said that this was being ne against its own judgement, the hand-issuing of receipts uld cause delays at busy es. nd a Board spokesman told a artered Institute of Transport urn in Hull last week that it s prepared to consider any ggestions for the future, inding the possibility of grantan annual licence for cornrcial vehicles which regularly e the Bridge. He promised that s would be given early considtion.
Already traffic across the dge has exceeded expectans, with 6,000 lorries having ed it in the first two weeks, but Board accepts that the pre 1984-level of tolls, which ans that top-weight lorries inr a £7.50 toll, may well have terred some traffic.
That message was emasised by speakers at the forn, with Freight Transport AsIciation East Riding chairman aser Menzies saying that his Ickitt and Colman operation, sed on Leeds and Nottingm, would derive little, if any, benefit from using the Bridge.
Road Haulage Association national vice-chairman Harold Russett compared the Humber Bridge with the Severn Bridge, and said that there was no way in which the Severn Bridge's saving of 60 road miles for a 20p toll at its opening compared with the £7.50 toll for a 52-mile saving on Humberside. "It is questionable whether the customer will benefit," he added.
Mr Menzies pointed out that he was in a better position than a hire or reward haulier to pass on the extra costs, but said he would rather not have to, and commented that every effort should be made to maximise the Bridge's benefits to industry.
Freightliners managing director Cyril Bleasdale said that the present five per cent discount which is available to operators buying bulk vouchers for tolls was too low, and suggested that they be reduced by around one third. Mr Menzies suggested that a 50 per cent discount, as applies for bulk vouchers for the Tamar Bridge, between Plymouth and Saltash, should be introduced.
But any chance of tolls being abolished altogether looks very remote, as politicians stressed at the forum.
European MP Barbara Castle, who as Transport Minister authorised the construction of the Bridge in January 1966, said that tolls were too attractive a proposition for financing such a project, and said instead that every effort should be directed towards reducing the 25 per cent private sector funding which the Bridge Board has to bear.
And Opposition junior transport spokesman John Prescott said: "I would be a damn liar if I said that a future Labour Government would abolish tolls on bridges like the Humber ."