A wonderful, wonderful morning’s work from all protestors, congratulations to all who took part. And how typical that Martin Salter MP lent his active support in the fight to prevent more legalised highway robbery on the bridges of Oxfordshire.

At the other end of the county, in west Oxfordshire, we too have an unfair toll on the bridge at Swinford which causes daily traffic chaos, appalling delays, time wasting and needless pollution.

I truly sympathise and support your campaign 100%.

I do understand that price increases are unwelcome, but I am struggling to understand what the point is to your campaign. Other than an objection to digging deeper into your pockets to pay the toll, I can’t see any alternatives or counter arguments to the Whitchurch Bridge Company proposals on your website.

For example. Do you disagree that the bridge has exceeded its design life and needs to be replaced? Could the life of the bridge be extended? How else could the directors of the Company meet their obligations under the Acts of Parliament that require them to maintain a crossing over the river?

The WBC says the original cost for a new bridge was £1m. It would appear that in 2005 the WBC set the toll at the right level to raise these funds (the bridge replacement fund stands at about £1.4m), but the costs have now risen to more than £3m leaving a significant shortfall. What are your views on the cost of the new bridge? Has the Company managed their income and expenditure appropriately?

Aside from the legal issues and the fact that an Act of Parliament might be required; is taking the bridge into public ownership reasonable? At present, the users of the bridge pay (and those with a Bridge Card get a significant discount that the Company is not obliged to offer). If the bridge was owned and maintained by a local authority, which one would it be; Oxfordshire County, South Oxfordshire District, West Berkshire? Which council tax payers would contribute to the upkeep if it becomes toll free?

We live in Reading and at present we pay to use the bridge on a per crossing basis (unless I am on my motorbike). If the bridge is taken into public ownership and goes toll free, my wife who travels to Wallingford to work would probably stop using Caversham Bridge and would travel for free via Whitchurch. Would that be fair? Would residents be happy with the increase in traffic volumes and associated costs that they would be funding? Is it right that tax payers who never use the bridge should fund it?

I have no particular axe to grind either way, but at the moment your protest seems to be protest for protests sake rather than a reasoned argument. The result is that it lessens any potential impact or support it might have.

@P Lawman,
Have you read the flyer here? : http://www.tollfreeze.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/tollfreeze-flyer.pdf
I think this flyer addresses quite a number of your points and questions.
Also, many roads and bridges are funded by councils other than the one you might live in - do you then pay a toll for those councils to reimburse their council tax payers if you use them?
A public inquiry is what is being campaigned for. That hopefully would investigate and assess the very many options and associated issues.

Good point P.Lawman. We did have some of our case in our leaflet. But we have now added it in full (click on “The Debate” on the top or right of this page). I think it answers your points. The bridge company do put out quite a bit of disinformation, and the press rarely cover more than “there are some protesters against the toll rise”. We hope the item here now helps.