Bridging: the gap
Are road bridges a vital part of Britain's transport infrastructure, uniting communities and allowing free trade – or the lair of a modern-day
equivalent of highwayman Dick Turpin, relieving businesses and the public
of many millions of pounds every year? By Andrew Bennett.
Temperatures are rising among the small business community over tolls charged to use the major river crossings in England and Wales.
Although not all businesses are affected, the FSB wants road tolls abolished in England and Wales, following the lead of the Scottish Executive.
After years of FSB lobbying, the Scottish government abolished bridge tolls on the Tay and Forth bridges, meaning there are no longer tolls on any Scottish bridges. This followed the abolition of the Skye Bridge toll in 2004.
The move has been seen as helping to even things out between firms (and local communities) that previously had to use the bridges and those that didn't, and tolls had been seen as a barrier to business and a tax on enterprise.
The issue is likely to step up a gear following the FSB's National Conference in
Newport, Wales in March.
Not only will many delegates ‘sample' one of the most contentious tolls themselves
– it now costs £5.40 per car to drive over the Severn bridges into Wales, with the charge only payable when you drive westwards from England – but the Welsh Policy Team aims to carry out research in conjunction with Aberystwyth University, to determine whether the Severn tolls are having an economic impact on Wales.
Meanwhile, people in South Wales are continuing to rebel against tolls on bridges, with businesses in South and West Wales at a disadvantage compared with their counterparts on the Bristol side of the Severn.
The FSB's South Wales region wants to highlight the impact of tolls, especially
given the reliance of their country on tourism and logistics, with the decline in traditional heavy industry – and the dependence on the Severn bridge for much economic activity.
Chris Glen, FSB transport committee chair, said: ‘Transport presents a significant cost for small businesses and it is essential that the government finds ways to
relieve this burden to increase competitiveness.
‘The FSB urges the government to follow the Scottish example and legislate to abolish tolls on bridges, tunnels and crossings, where there are no toll-free alternatives. This move would free up businesses to grow and create more jobs.
The resulting economic growth would generate more funds for the government to spend on more and better roads. It should be a priority.'
Research shows almost half of small businesses carry out their trade within 20
miles of their base.
In a 2007 FSB survey of 3,500 members, 69 per cent of businesses said that they could not reduce their vehicle usage and 93 per cent said that a vehicle was either ‘crucial' or ‘important' to their business.
‘The FSB believes that removing road tolls will reduce the overall road cost on business and remove a significant barrier to business growth.
Such growth will boost the economy and create more jobs, as well as more tax revenue to invest in new roadbuilding schemes,' added Glen. Tolls on bridges and some highways are nothing new – there was a charge for crossing the Severn by
ferry even before the first of the two Severn road bridges was opened in 1966, and drivers have had to pay to use the Humber bridge since it opened in 1981.
The government argues that the charges are essential to repay the debt to the Treasury incurred by the construction costs of these modern and essential pieces of engineering, and their ongoing repair and maintenance.
What has angered campaigners, politicians and small businesses is the rate at
which many tolls have risen – crossing the Humber Bridge now costs £2.70 in each direction for a car, rising to £18.30 for lorries weighing more than 7.5 tonnes, while using the Dartford Crossing (including the QEII Bridge) on the M25 means car or
light van drivers now have to fork out £1.50.
The latter is a 50 per cent rise, and the extra fee has generated large queues along the motorway as motorists used to finding a single £1 coin scrabble around for the extra change – creating the congestion the government is so keen to avoid. And, of course, smaller firms are often unable to absorb rises as easily as multi-national corporations, and may be unable or unwilling to pass such extra charges on to customers.
Among those infuriated by the M25 toll is James Brokenshire MP, who secured a House of Commons debate on the subject last year.
He said: ‘It's astonishing that, in these increasingly tough economic times, the government should be viewing the Dartford River Crossing simply as a cash cow for the Treasury. They seem oblivious to the impact on small business and motorists
of hiking up charges just as the downturn is starting to bite. It's as if ministers have got their heads stuck down one of the bores of the Dartford Tunnel.
‘At the same time, the government has tried to offer the sop of a discount scheme
for local residents. Yet the scheme is arbitrary and unfair. Residents in Thurrock
and Dartford living as much as 20km away from the crossing benefit, when people living just a short distance away from the bridge in Bexley and Havering are
excluded.
At the same time, £1.75 million of ring-fenced annual funding for road improvements
in Thurrock and Kent have been scrapped. It's not a concession, it's a con trick.'
M25 misery as Dartford Crossing toll rises
Mark Giles is managing director of Abby Couriers, based in Essex, a company with 11 employees at its head office and around 170 drivers.
The Basildon-based firm delivers goods around the UK, southern Ireland and into Europe, including work as a business partner of DHL.
Mark, who started the firm with his father in 1993, commented: ‘We have a couple of companies that use us in Dartford, Kent, including DHL, so our drivers often go between Essex and Kent.
‘Sometimes they could be going back and forwards up to six times a day, including deliveries and debriefs. The new tolls have had an impact on us – we estimate it will
cost an extra £5,000 a year.
‘It is not the ideal time for increases to happen. When the London Congestion Charge was brought in, we were able to pass this on to clients, but in the current climate we are very reluctant to pass anything extra on.
‘Originally we were told tolls on this bridge were going to be abolished once the bridge had been paid for; this hasn't happened and now prices are going up.
‘When I was interviewed by BBC London, the minister on air with me said the tolls are like London Congestion Charge in terms of deterring congestion – but there is no other crossing from Kent to Essex!
‘The next crossing of the Thames is the Blackwall Tunnel or the Woolwich Ferry, which would be pushing traffic back into London.'
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