mtua
HOME   NEWS   Runcorn Bridges   Background   FANCY THAT   Questions   LORDS Committee  
OTHER Crossings   HISTORY   Construction Cost   A/cs from 1934   JOIN   LINKS

(this page created 1 February 2012, updated last on 9th Feb)

2012 TOLL increase - NIL

It was decided on the 9th February that there will be no tolls increase this year. The rest of this page gives more details.

N.B. By April 2013 the likely movement in the RPI will mean that the possible increase in 2013 could result in a toll of £1.80 for cars. Whether in any year we do get an increase, and if so how much, is largely down to public opinion so it is important that each time these rises are threatened the press and the public tell the politicians LOUDLY and clearly that what they want is "no tolls" and not "more tolls".

Background
What happened at the 12th Jan meeting
The report considered by Merseytravel members on 9th Feb (pdf)
Message to Merseytravel councillors from MTUA before the 9th February meeting (pdf file on separate page).
What happened at the 9th Feb meeting
Press reports.

Background

Under the law that Merseytavel got through Parliament in 2004, near the start of each they decide whether to approve an increase in tolls. The maximum toll level is based on the tolls in November 1998 (when there had just been an increase) adjusted for inflation since then using the RPI, with the calculated toll then rounded to the nearest ten pence. Merseytravel interpret the law that they got through Parliament as meaning that the maximum toll has to be the "authorised" toll. But there is a rider that Merseytravel have to consider the local economic and social conditions before they set the actual toll payable.
In fact Merseytravel have always had the power to reduce or remove any of the tolls at any or all times. So whatever the state of the economy may be, they don't have to increase the tolls payable.

In practice what happens each year is that Merseytravel formally approve the "authorised" toll (which depending on the RPI movement may be the same as the one formally approved the year before) and then, in their words, decide what if any "discount" there will be. So the "authorised" tolls might be increased, but the actual tolls payable might not increase at all.

In every year since the change in the law in 2004, the actual tolls payable have been less than the "authorised" tolls. It is a matter of conjecture as to what extent the pressure of public opinion has inhibited Merseytravel with the result that though they have made a big profit on the Tunnels each year, they have not got as much profit as they may have expected.

According to the 2004 Act formula the maximum toll for cars and light goods vehicles at April 2012 would be 171.7 pence rounded to 170 pence. The current toll is of course 150 pence. The Merseytravel councillors can leave the toll as it is or increase it by 10 pence or 20 pence.
(Note that there are four "classes" of vehicles that pay up to four times as much at the car toll. There is a small price rebate for vehicles that are tagged.)

On Thursday 12th January 2012, Merseytravel's "Tunnels, Ferries and Visitor Economy" committee met to discuss increasing tolls. They decided nothing and left the decision to a meeting of the full authority on Thursday 9th February.
Given the report that was going to the full authority meeting it seemed unlikely that they would decide to have a tolls increase, and that was what they did decide - no tolls increase.

Back to top

What happened at the 12th Jan 2012 Merseytravel meeting

  • Prior to this year (2012) the councillors have met to ratify the "authorised" toll and decide the actual toll payable as part of their annual budget meeting in early February. In theory no decision has been made before those meetings, but the Authority's budget will already have been drafted and last year, for example, anticipated that an increase would be agreed. This time round that annual budget meeting will be on Thursday 9th Feb.

  • There is, or at least was, a "Tunnels Board" - which Merseytravel claimed was outside the usual law and held meetings closed to the public and press. For some reason not known to us, about September 2011 they set up a new committee to deal with "Tunnels, Ferries and Visitor Economy". This is being dealt with under the usual law and on 12th January they had a meeting which according to the news media would consider a toll increase. This method of doing things seemed to make sense, as Merseytravel would know what the toll would be before they considered the overall Merseytravel budget in February.

  • The 12th Jan agenda included a "Mersey Tunnel Tolls" item which included the recommendation - "(c) support the authority in considering the actual tolls to be set for 2012/13, balancing the revenue implications against the wider local employment and economic issues".

  • What happened at the meeting was that it was claimed that they were not there to decide anything. They did not discuss the increase and no one expressed any opinion either way. It was a mystery as to how they were "supporting the authority".

  • There seemed to be more interest from the 16 or so councillors that were there about "Wallace and Gromit" and their latest film "The Pirates" than there was about the tolls. Judging by what was in the press after the meeting, it seems that Merseytravel may have decided that they should give the impression that there will not be a toll rise. What was actually going to happen was anyone's guess on the 12th Januray, but from what we heard on the 2nd February, it really does seem that a tolls increase is unlikely - this time round.

    Back to top

    What happened at the 9th February 2012 Merseytravel meeting

  • Though they had the option of increasing the tolls, it was unanimously decided - with almost no debate - that the tolls payable would stay as they are. (It was agreed that the "authorised" tolls would increase, but this seems to have no meaning.)

  • Councillor Blakeley (a Tory councillor for the Moreton West and Saughall Massie ward) criticised the way that the Tunnels Act 2004 meant that the "authorised" tolls kept going up and councillors had no choice. He also moved an amendment recommending that Merseytravel officers should look at the "cost implications ..." if there was an increased discount for Tag users.
    The chairman (Mark Dowd, a Labour councillor from Sefton) said that the criticism was "ill conceived and ill thought" and that the Act had had "universal support", and that the amendment was not needed. The amendment was rejected following a vote.

  • In case councillors believed that the 2004 Act had "universal support", after the meeting we sent this Message to Merseytravel councillors from MTUA (pdf file on separate page).

    Back to top

    Some of the press reports

  • Thursday 15 December 2011 - Wirral Globe - "Mersey Tunnel tolls could rise by 20p" inc 28 comments   Liverpool Daily Post - "Mersey tunnel tolls could rise to £1.70 for cars next April" 2 pages   Liverpool Daily Post Comment - "Tolls a taxing issue in tough times"   Liverpool Echo - "Mersey tunnel tolls could rise to £1.70 for cars next April" 2 pages 18 comments.

  • Wednesday 21 December 2011 - Wirral News - "Mersey tunnel tolls could rise to £1.70 for cars next April".

  • Wednesday 11 January 2012 - Click Liverpool - "Liverpool region campaigners oppose Mersey Tunnels toll hikes".

  • Thursday 12 January 2012 - Liverpool Echo - "Mersey tunnel tolls could increase by 20p under fresh Merseytravel plans"..

  • Friday 13 January 2012 - Liverpool Daily Post - "Mersey tunnel tolls likely to be frozen this year" 2 pages   Liverpool Echo - "Merseytravel deny plans existed to increase Mersey Tunnel tolls" 3 comments   Bay TV - "Mersey Tunnel prices could rise by twenty pence if new plans go ahead" video.

  • Wednesday 18 January 2012 - Wirral News - "Tunnel toll rise plan denied".

    Back to top

    HOME   NEWS   Runcorn Bridges   Background   FANCY THAT   Questions   LORDS Committee  
    OTHER Crossings   HISTORY   Construction Cost   A/cs from 1934   JOIN   LINKS