A CORNWALL councillor has launched a blistering attack on plans to increase charges for users of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry, warning the proposals would deepen hardship, damage the local economy and further penalise communities with no realistic alternatives.

Keith Johnson, who represents the Saltash Tamar ward, has spoken out ahead of a special meeting of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee, scheduled for January 12 at Plymouth City Council.

The meeting will consider proposals to raise the monthly administration charge for Tamar Tag users by 150 per cent, from 80p to £2.

The Tamar Tag system is a pre-paid electronic toll scheme that offers users a 50 per cent discount on crossings and is relied upon by thousands of people in Cornwall and Devon who regularly cross the Tamar for work, education, healthcare and caring responsibilities.

Cllr Johnson described the proposed rise as “unjustified, unaffordable and undemocratic,” accusing the crossings authority of presiding over a decade-long pattern of increases that have far outstripped inflation.

He said residents have already endured around ten years of toll rises amounting to roughly double the rate of inflation, pointing to the most recent increase in May, when tolls rose from £2.60 to £3.

“Wages are not keeping up, inflation is around 3.6 per cent, yet charges keep going up,” he said. “Our communities are getting poorer while the Tamar Crossings budget grows larger and more opaque.”

Cllr Johnson warned South East Cornwall residents face an unfair burden, with no practical alternative to using the bridge. Thousands rely on Plymouth for essential services including education, healthcare, employment and apprenticeships.

“We are told to use Plymouth’s services, yet we are charged a financial penalty every time we cross into the city,” he said. “This is not levelling up – it’s levelling down.”

Concerns have also been raised about the wider economic impact. Local businesses say tolls add unavoidable costs to goods and services, reducing competitiveness compared to Devon. Campaigners claim potential investors are routinely deterred by the additional expense of operating on the Cornwall side of the Tamar. One local campaigner described the bridge as “taxing our future”.

Residents have also questioned why similar crossings elsewhere are treated differently, pointing to free crossings in Wales and Scotland and the Dartford Crossing, where local users can pay £25 per year for unlimited use.

The Reform UK councillor is calling for an immediate independent audit of Tamar Crossings’ finances, raising concerns over significant debt linked to office developments, continued reliance on toll booths, rising operating costs and what he described as questionable spending priorities.

He also criticised the lack of public consultation, arguing the administration fee increase was approved without input from commuters or residents. With South East Cornwall and Plymouth both represented by Labour MPs under a Labour government, he said the failure to address tolls was deeply disappointing.

“This is not just a price rise – it’s an injustice,” Cllr Johnson said. “We must stand together and demand fairness, transparency and a sustainable future for our communities.”