£20 book of bridge tickets – decision will be reviewed

STRONG public opinions over the introduction of the £20 ticket books on the Tamar Bridge, has led to a rethink by the Joint Bridge and Ferry Committee.

Joint Chairman Mike Gillbard (Liskeard), has stated that he personally had fought the idea of the 40 ticket concessionary books for years, but was now fully behind the scheme.

He said it had been decided that the new books would become a permanent feature and would gradually phase out the £10 books, but the levels of criticism, including those of Caradon Chairman, Steve Tait, had led the Committee to think again.

'The decision has been made to keep the new scheme under review for about six months so we can properly gauge public reaction' he said. 'If it is proved to be exceptionally unpopular then it will be withdrawn'.

Mr Gillbard also added that there are about two months supply of the old £10 books available at the bridge office, and that if demand exceeded supply then it may be possible to continue them so that people could choose.

He said that Saltash Town Council had been asked to consider selling bridge ticket books after suggestions there should be more outlets, but that the payment of a commission for selling them would not be feasible as the scheme is totally non profit making. He said in view of the security question the Post Office counters would be the best choice.

Princess Anne visits

THE Princess Royal visits Saltash for the official opening of the new cantilevers on the Tamar Bridge, this morning. The ceremony will take place at 10.30am and is 40 years to the day that her grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, opened the bridge itself in April 1962. See next week's Cornish Times for a special feature.

New ferries

get the vote

The Torpoint ferries are to be replaced by 2004 following a unanimous vote by the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferries Joint Committee on Wednesday.

The present Tamar, Lynher and Plym ferries, aged 40,40 and 30 years old respectively, will be replaced with three 73-car vessels through a leasing deal costing £11 million over 20 years.

Manager of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferries Joint Committee, David List, said, 'We had always planned to replace the ferries in 2004 or 2005 because of their age. The decision was taken to do it now because if we don't meet the programme we'd have to do some significant work on the ferries.'

During a recent refit on the ferry, Tamar, routine tests showed that the plate-thickness of the vessel's hull would become a cause for concern in two years time.

'The testing enforced the pace of the project but there is no need for the public to be concerned. The ferries are regularly tested and they are certificated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency as being worthy.'

At least 10 shipyards are interested in building the ferries, some of them from Europe and a decision is expected in the Autumn.