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07
Aug
Government makes final decision on Aldwark Bridge toll
The increase in the Aldwark Bridge toll looks set to go ahead in the teeth of local opposition, after the Secretary of State for Transport approved the rise this week.
The privately-owned Aldwark Toll Bridge is the only remaining toll bridge in Yorkshire, and the only road crossing of the River Ure between Boroughbridge and York.
Its owner, the Westwick Group, which is headed by Derbyshire-based businessman Alex Bell, applied last year to raise the bridge toll for motorists from 40p to £1.
Mr Bell argues that paying £1 to cross the bridge is cheaper than making the 22-mile detour to avoid it, but also says the increase is necessary to make the bridge economically viable. He has spent £1 million on refurbishing the structure and making it safe, and says the increase is needed to help meet running costs.
Responding to the decision, Mr Bell told the Stray Ferret:
We’re absolutely delighted. The bridge had been running at a loss for three years, and we had to advance-fund repairs to it personally, because it didn’t fit the bank’s criteria for business lending. We really exposed ourselves financially, so we’ve very relieved at the Secretary of State’s decision.
Westwick Group has spent around £1 million on repairs to the bridge.
The proposed toll rise drew more than 100 objections, mostly from local residents who rely on the bridge. The headteacher of a local primary school calculated it could cost parents up to £800 a year and warned it could force some to pull their children out of school.
To determine whether the proposed toll increase was fair, a public inquiry was held in March.
That gave rise to a report written by the independent inspector presiding over the process, which was passed to the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP. Her final decision on the matter was published on Tuesday.
In the decision, the Secretary of State agreed with the inspector that the bridge’s financial situation was not sustainable, and that – even taking into account the impact on the bridge’s users – increased income was necessary to maintain and run it, so the fare should rise.
Even though both Aldwark Area Parish Council and the local Conservative MP, Sir Alec Shelbrooke, had both campaigned against the toll increase, the decision stated:
The Secretary of State notes that both the Parish Council and Sir Alec Shelbrooke MP recognise that the principle of raising the tolls is fair. Indeed, there is widespread agreement that it is fair that tolls should rise, but it is the amount of increase that is the issue.
Ms Alexander recognised that some objectors had said the bridge should be owned and run publicly, like the rest of the road network, but said:
...unless ownership and funding arrangements change, which would require legislative change, [the bridge’s] income from tolls must pay for the running and maintenance of the crossings.
The toll increase will not come into effect immediately – Westwick Goup must await formal ratification from the Planning Office before increasing its prices.
Mr Bell said:
That will come when they see fit, but we’re expecting it over the next few days.
There’s no point in delaying things any further, so we’ll probably put the prices up the day after we're told we can proceed.
Addressing concerns that many residents had already bought books of tickets at the old price, he said:
We will honour any pre-booked tickets till the end of the year and then review the situation to see how many unused tickets are still out there – they're all numbered, so we will be able to tell.
Anyone with unused tickets will be offered a full refund, so no-one will lose any money on tickets they’ve already bought.
The Stray Ferret has contacted Aldwark Area Parish Council for comment.
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