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PRESS RELEASE

Tolls on the Bridge to Skye have ended.

This is a historic event. Ending the Skye Tolls is the first significant stopping of tolls in Britain since the Second World War.

The bridge opened in 1995 and the islanders and those on the neighbouring mainland have fought a hard struggle against the tolls from day one. Many islanders were fined or ended up in gaol.

The Islanders were supported by local politicians and the Highland Council.

After the announcement, Andy Anderson, General Secretary of Skye and Kyle Against Tolls said:-

"SKAT notes with great satisfaction that the toll imposed on our community has finally been abolished. "This toll has seriously damaged our economy and undermined the principles of democracy. "We will organise a public celebration of this great victory for the community. "SKAT may have acted as a catalyst for this struggle, but the real force was the wide support in the community. "Le deagh dhùrachd" (With best wishes)

Dave Loudon, chairman of the Mersey Tunnels Users Association, like SKAT in the National Alliance Against Tolls said:-

"It is strange that while Scotland is getting rid of a toll. Here in the North West of England we are threatened that if they build another Mersey crossing, there will be tolls on that and the existing Runcorn bridge."

NOTE:-

TOLLS GENERALLY
Most of the old tolls, including those on the Thames bridges stopped over 100 years ago. This leaves 3 other tolled crossings in Scotland. One in Wales, one from England to Wales and 10 in England. There is also the London toll known as the "Congestion Charge", the M6 toll (one year old earlier this month), and about 12 very minor private tolls in country areas.

With the Skye Toll gone, the 6 most expensive British crossing tolls (return) for cars are:- Humber Bridge £5.00 (£5.20 from Jan 2005), Severn Bridges £4.60 (£4.80 from Jan 2005), Mersey Tunnels £2.40, Dartford Crossing and Tyne Tunnel £2.00.

SKYE TOLLS
The bridge from the Kyle of Lochalsh to the Isle of Skye opened on Monday 16th October 1995. The Government had handed over responsibility for building and financing the bridge to private operators:- Skye Bridge Ltd.

The resulting tolls were some of the most expensive in the world:- the round trip toll for cars was 1140p from 1st May to 30th September and 940p during the winter months. (Books of 20 (one way) tickets cost £26.80.)

Eventually in June (2004) a statement was made in the Scottish Parliament that the "discredited toll regime" would end this year, but there has been uncertainty that this promise would be honoured.

There have been complaints that the original PFI deal for the construction of the bridge did not give good value, and that the cost of buying out the PFI deal may be several times the cost of building the bridge.

There are about 34 roads in Scotland which cross tidal waters. The removal of tolls from the Skye bridge leaves only 3 of them tolled:- Erskine (on the Clyde), Forth and Tay. There have been calls for the tolls to be removed from all of them and the Scottish Executive is reviewing the tolls. A report is expected early next year.



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