Another 100% Proposed Increase in Tolls
The announcement below was released around 22nd October 2008 by the Whitchurch-on-Thames Parish Council.
If this goes ahead this will be the second 100% increase in cash tolls since 2005 - the toll will have quadrupled within 4 years!
WHITCHURCH TOLL BRIDGE APPLICATION TO INCREASE TOLLS
The Parish Councils of Whitchurch, Goring Heath, Woodcote and Pangbourne have been informed by the Whitchurch Bridge Company (WBC) that it is applying to the Department of Transport to increase the cash toll to 40p per crossing as from July 2009.
The proposed increase is to fund rebuilding the bridge in 2013.
The last cash toll increase was in 2005 when the cash toll rose from 10p to 20p.
The card system for discount crossings will be retained.
At present £5 purchases 40 crossings, each crossing therefore costing 12.5p.
In February 2009 this is to change and £5 will purchase 36 crossings at 13.8p per crossing.
The card system which allows frequent users, wherever they live, to pay less was introduced in 2005 when the local residents’ discount ceased. The Parish Council have repeatedly asked for the local residents discount to be re-introduced.
The WBC has previously informed the public that it intends to increase the card toll by 1p per crossing each year. This would mean that by 2013 the card discount toll would be about 16p per crossing. The WBC do not guarantee that the card toll will not increase by more than this as 2013 approaches and if the cost of re-building the bridge increases above the £3m predicted in June 2008.
2004 Cash Toll 10p Residents’ discount toll 7.5p per crossing
2005 Cash Toll 20p Card discount toll 9p
2006 Card discount toll 12.5p
2009 Proposed Cash Toll 40p Card discount toll 13.8p
The Parish Council is in the process of assessing WBC’s proposals and would welcome the views of parishioners.
Any objections to the proposed increase in the cash toll must be made in writing within 6 weeks of the first appearance of the Public Notice in the local newspapers to the Department of Transport.
Whitchurch on Thames Parish Council
October 2008
Does anyone know the official address to send objections?
The Bridge Company say that cash tolls make up nearly half of their takings at the present time, which is why they think that they can achieve an average of 27p per crossing. A quick look at their application to the Ministry of Transport seems to me to suggest that the figure they need has already risen to 30p. As tolls increase, my guess would be that more people will see the advantage of purchasing a card. So I can’t find any surprise when the Bridge Company flatly refuses to guarantee that the card toll will not rise by more than one penny per year.
We should call for total abolition of this (Whitchurch Bridge) toll, just as over 600 users of the upstream Swinford Bridge are doing for that bridge. Both of these tolls are grossly unfair, as we already pay taxes that permit us to drive on all of the the British road system, and both of these bridges form an integral part of that system. The vast majority of what were once toll bridges within the system have been taken into public (Government or CC) ownership and so freed from toll. It should now be the turn of these two bridges and we, perhaps in common with a Pangbourne Group, should be calling for abolition of this toll.
Whitchurch Toll Bridge company should not be allowed to bring in another 100% increase this is outrageous. Paying 40p cash or even 20p (with bridge card user’s discount) would be like holding every potential bridge user to ransom. Instead of increasing their revenue- alot of drivers including myself, will find alternative routes. As the Toll Bridge company have been aware the recommended life of the current Bridge and need of replacement for upto 30 YEARS why did they not plan a useful strategy earlier.!!!! What about the impact of the surrounding villages. Pangbourne, Goring/Streatley, Woodcote businesses will all suffer. Let’s face it isn’t the cost of living for everyone high enough already??? Having an additional cost to factor into weekly activities with the children will have a definite impact on my decisions.
What does our Local MP say?