Dundee LibDems support campaign for Tay tolls to be abolished (Dundee Liberal Democrats)

Dundee Liberal Democrats <info@dundeelibdems.org.uk>

Dundee LibDems support campaign for Tay tolls to be abolished

March 21, 2006 7:52 AM

Dundee LibDems support campaign for Tay tolls to be abolished

Dundee Liberal Democrats have today (Tuesday 21st March) welcomed the decision by Dundee City Council to support abolition of the tolls on the Tay Road Bridge.

Seconding the motion at the Council's Policy & Resources Committee to support Tay tolls abolition, Cllr Helen Dick said, "For me, one of the main issues is the effect of having toll plazas near a busy City Centre and the resultant effect on air quality caused by congestion during peak hours in the City Centre of Dundee.

"If the Scottish Executive wishes to fully evaluate the effects of removing the tolls on traffic and congestion, rather than indulge in speculative traffic modeling which leaves us all arguing as to its accuracy in reality, it should institute a trial period without tolls to see the effects on traffic patterns."

Dundee East Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson Dr Clive Sneddon also welcomed the Council's decision.

Clive said, "Following the recent decision by the Scottish Executive to abolish tolls on the Erskine Bridge to relieve congestion and secure environmental benefits, it is only right that a similar decision should be made for the Tay Bridge. The present toll booths cause traffic jams within the city, which results in unnecessary pollution as well as delay to travellers and business, and abolition of the tolls will be the most straightforward solution to this."