Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers to protest over Mersey Gateway bridge tolls



Plans to pass on new bridge toll charges to taxi customers are "absolutely insane" and will badly affect custom, said drivers.

Taxis will have to pay the £2 toll on the Mersey Gateway linking Widnes and Runcorn when it opens in the autumn.

Halton Council said it was still developing a scheme to enable residents who are exempt from toll charges to reclaim the costs from taxi journeys.

Taxi drivers said they will protest after a meeting with union officials.

'Up in arms'

The crossing over the River Mersey in Cheshire is designed to ease congestion on the Runcorn Bridge.

Paul Harrison from Widnes who drives a taxi said about 150 taxi drivers attended the meeting with the union Unite.

He said they have set up an action committee and are considering peaceful protests after being told they should pass the toll charge on to fare-paying customers.

"In London, hackney cabs don't have to pay congestion charges and taxi drivers shouldn't have to pay to use the bridge.

"And the public shouldn't be expected to pay either."

"My customers think it's free for them to use the bridge and when they find out they will have to pay £8 extra for a return trip from Widnes to Runcorn, they are up in arms."

He said it was "unreasonable" to expect them to claim the money back and he would lose fares.

Under current plans, Mr Harrison said it would cost one of his customers an extra £8 for a round trip to get his wheelchair serviced in Runcorn and then £10 for a return trip to Halton Direct Link one stop shop to reclaim the toll charges.

Halton Council charging taxis was "in line" with other major toll crossings in the UK including the Mersey Tunnels.

It added "no final decision" had been made about the scheme or how they would reclaim costs and it "welcomed comments".

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-me ... e-38735846

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

They will still be able to go the old way over the Runcorn bridge so I don't see the problem or am I missing something

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

When the new bridge opens, the old one will be tolled too.

http://www.merseygateway.co.uk/tolls/

I can see the fraudsters rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of a new way to claim ratepayers money

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

If they can reclaim it why charge it in the first place, hopefully the tariff sheets will show the charge

looks like im missing something again?? shot in the dark here mind, just add it to the fare both ways ??? like we do for the Tyne tunnel?? Typical whinging scousers

how dare you bring commonsense !!

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

but can your punters reclaim that ? and I think it's a little less (£1.60 ish)

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

add a paragraph to the fare chart that states the passenger is responsible for all tolls and charges

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

wtf you on about mate? reclaim ? ffs i pick up a pi$$ed up knacker & take him through the tunnel i just add £3.40 on the meter ?? ( £1.70 ew)

Yes you are missing something...their not scousers......you dipstick.....

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Yes they're plastic

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Tyne Tunnel charges where put on the fare table and also the right to charge any other road tolls at the behest of the National Taxi Association(N.T.H.C.A.) many years ago.

close enough for me