PLYMOUTH City Council is calling on people across the South West to sign a petition urging the Government to financially contribute to the maintenance of the Tamar Bridge.

The Tamar Bridge is jointly owned by Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council and provides a vital strategic road link in the South West. About 18 million vehicles cross the bridge each year.

In accordance with the Tamar Bridge Act, the crossing is funded on a “user pays” principle which means that the only source of revenue is toll charges for those who use the bridge.

With a reduction in the number of users, which is expected to continue in years ahead, the only option has been to seek a rise in the cost of the toll. The Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee is currently proposing that tolls need to be increased from £2 to £2.60 for cash users, and from £1 to £1.30 for discounted tags.

This will impact most on those residents who use the bridge daily to commute to work and who may seek alternative routes potentially adding to carbon emissions.

Plymouth City Council is calling on the Government to provide a financial contribution to the running of the bridge, a similar approach to other major strategic links across the UK.

Councillor Nick Kelly, Leader of Plymouth City Council, has launched a petition and is asking people from across the region to sign it, showing their support for fairer and proper funding for the South West. The petition will then be presented to the Government, to show that the request as the backing of local people.

Councillor Kelly said: “At the moment we don’t receive any funding to help maintain the Tamar Bridge. A bridge that provides a vital link in the South West. Without it, many people would be cut off – unable to get to work, school or hospital. Vital goods would also be unable to easily reach the region.

“At a time when all finances are being squeezed, it is not fair that we have to ask users of the bridge to put their hands deeper into their pockets. But we have no choice. But what will happen in the years to come, as road users further decline?   

“We are only asking the Government for our fair share. We only want the A38 over the Tamar Bridge to be considered in the same way as other major strategic links in the UK.

“This is all about people power. We need the people of the South West to show that they agree with us that tolls must be kept low and fair. So I ask everyone, in Plymouth and beyond, sign the petition and stand with us publicly to ask the Government for help.”

 The petition can be found on the change.org page for ‘Government to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the A38 over the Tamar Bridge’' at https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-government-to-pay-a-contribution-towards-the-maintenance-of-the-a38-over-tamar-bridge