ON MONDAY, you had a story about a report commissioned by Merseytravel which apparently predicts increased congestion and damage to business if the Mersey Tunnels tolls were removed. I have not seen this report, but there were, however, similar doom and gloom reports produced in Scotland before its tolls were removed.
No one in Scotland would have been daft enough to believe claims about damage to business, but the reports did predict congestion. The reality after Scottish tolls were removed is that traffic flows more freely, as there are no more delays at the tolls and no traffic diverting on to longer routes.
The Leader of Wirral Council is quoted as saying of tolling that “in terms of commercial traffic movement, it is seen as a levy to do business in Wirral, which is why we have been vociferous in supporting the second crossing.” By a second crossing, I assume he is referring to the plan to build a second bridge at Runcorn.
As Daily Post readers will know, there was a Public Inquiry last summer into the plan for another bridge with tolls on both that and the currently free bridge. The overall effect will be that, though there are more traffic lanes, there will be less traffic as drivers will divert to other routes.
The inspector will have submitted his report to the minister by now, and a decision could come at any time. If, as seems likely, the minister agrees to tolling the bridges, it will then create a toll wall that will stretch from Liverpool to the outskirts of Warrington. Perhaps someone can explain how this plan will benefit Wirral business or anyone else?
John McGoldrick, Mersey Tunnels Users Association
Abseil challenge
ACTION for Children is seeking daring participants to abseil 50m down the Mersey Tunnel Ventilation Shaft, in Birkenhead. All money raised will help Action for Children support the most vulnerable children and young people on Merseyside, where we run several local services working with struggling families.
The challenging fundraising event is back by popular demand and taking place on Sunday, September 26. The registration fee is just £30 and participants are asked to raise a minimum of £100 for Action for Children’s Neglect Appeal, an urgent three-year campaign aiming to tackle the growing issue of child neglect.
A recent survey undertaken by Action for Children found that more than one in 10 professionals working with children in the North-West believes that cases of neglect in the region are increasing. No experience is required as all training will be given.
For further information and to register for a place, contact helen.noble@actionforchildren.org.uk, telephone 01925 715385, or www.actionforchildren.org.uk.
Helen Noble, Fundraiser, Action for Children
State the full price
I TOTALLY agree with Helen Nicholls (“Easy money” Daily Post letters, January 25). Easyjet and other airlines talk of themselves as “budget airlines” but by the time you have paid for your luggage, your check-in, to choose your seat and any number of other add-ons, tax, etc, that cheap flight is not looking so cheap.
One airline charges you to check in, whether you do it online or at the airport.
Why don’t they just include that in the price of the flight to begin with? It’s not as if checking-in is an optional extra.
I recently booked a flight that started out as costing £59.99, but was over £200 by the time I had added in all the necessary extras. They should just start out with the all-inclusive price.
But I suppose that wouldn’t look as seductive on the adverts, would it?
Mrs E Hartley, Heswall
Going full circle
IT IS with some amusement that I read that Liverpool City Council will repair any excavations not attended to by the utilities, and then bill them.
Under the 1950 Public Utilities Street Works Act (PUSWA), utilities, certainly in Liverpool, carried out temporary reinstatement, and then instructed the council to do the permanent work, and then bill them.
To put it charitably, work exceeded resources, unless the work was urgent. Towards the end of the life of this Act, utilities were simply billed for the work, presumably in anticipation of it being done. Funny how this revenue raising exercise would occur towards the end of the financial year.
PUSWA was simple – the Highway Authority owned the street, and was responsible for maintaining it, and the users paid.
The New Roads and Steetworks Act turned it round and placed the obligation on the utilities. Do I see the wheel going full circle – over the potholes?
Chris Tigwell, Rainhill
Tunnel vision
WHAT is it that causes council employees to develop tunnel vision when road calming comes under discussion? The one thing they think of is road humps.
Many years ago, I lived in a residential area and our road was used as a “rat run” to avoid pedestrian crossings and traffic lights on the main road.ŠThe residents affected asked the local council to put a hump in the road; but they refused, saying that it would cost £2,000 for each one and was too expensive. Š
This makes me wonder where the councils get their money from to enable them to cover virtually every side street with humps or “cushions”?
Roy Alder, via email
