Explore new options to avoid tolls
IRECENTLY heard that the toll barriers for the tunnels were sidelined for a £3 million upgrade, probably to come in line with the soon-to-be opened Runcorn-Widnes bridge, so I feel obliged to write in and suggest ways that both the existing Mersey Tunnels and new Mersey Gateway could actually be toll free.
But I suspect that out-of-towner viewpoints trying to upset the corporate apple cart are not something that the two executive boards would consider?
After recently emailing Steve Rotheram, Rob Polhill and Derek Twigg, one was hoping that they would side with affected residents/ commuters and could wield a community point-scoring magic wand in overriding any future toll-paying schemes agreed by all concerned now that we’re all meant to be part of this LCR Combined Authority in taking autonomous decisions for Merseyside and the surrounding area.
But so far only Mr Polhill has replied with a quite extensive apology as to why they can’t be toll-free and Mr Twigg won’t consider my suggestions as I’m not a Halton constituent.
I’m originally from Warrington but now reside in St Helens so I’m sure, in serving the four immediate communities alongside the wider provinces, they could be suitably funded by other methods than basically promoting a congestion charge for the Mersey/Cheshire corridor.
So why don’t the powers-that-be take a leaf out of Greater Manchester’s book as they knocked back a proposed congestion charge scheme, and I’m sure there must be protesting groups already formed?
Options to explore in providing continuous funding would be to initially develop a phasing out pro- gramme over a couple of years to still bring in tick-over revenue with the eventual intention of utilising available LCR strategy funds, LEP’s, applying for Lottery Heritage grants, gaining any appropriate EU assistance, securing Highway and Environment Agency contracts for maintenance, setting up appropriate deals with Merseytravel, Arriva North West, Warrington and Halton Borough Transport to donate additional funding, while also utilising available trade ● personnel within Liverpool and Halton Borough Council in actually carrying out the ongoing updates.
Also, how about downgrading senior management and executive salaries within all LCR Combined Authority councils to those more comparable with salaries earned by the common man, within a vocational environment rather than a commercial one.
After all, surely the highest paid person in Government should be the Prime Minister NOT local officials; which would mathematically allow for extra funds to be available from Council Tax revenue.
A final suggestion could incorporate the delicate subject of utilising the ever present increase of council taxes around the region to fund at least half the ongoing costs that such engineering projects require in maintaining a steady flow of private traffic alongside public transport in getting the local population to where they need to be, with as minimal cost as possible Motoring in general is already one of the highest forms of taxation as it is, so more added cost to journeys is just another way of alienating the public at large.
So why not do something bold and daring with their political powers by going against the tide of commerce and elitism, so as to attract us potential day-trippers from the surrounding areas of the North West?
After all, Labour’s new mantra is For The Many, Not Just The Few but I fear that private sector finance still determines the rules and regulations of these situations.
So until we get council leaders who are prepared to break the shackles of corporate cow-towing then we remain downtrodden citizens of ‘progress’! Many thanks for reading.