THE public inquiry was held last week into the application from the two councils (Plymouth and Cornwall) who own and run the Tamar Crossings to increase the tolls.

I applaud all those who attended the inquiry and the extensive evidence and case submitted by the gallant folk on the Tamar Toll Action Group.

When this issue was debated and voted on at Cornwall Council, I voted against the increase, as did most of South East Cornwall’s councillors. We all know the importance of the crossings and the lifeline they provide for South East Cornwall.

There are two big issues that need addressing. What are the short-term options that the public inquiry might help to answer, and where should the longer-term operation and management of both crossings rest. It’s an issue that needs a debate and an answer from Cornwall and Plymouth to speak with one voice to central government.

The Crossings are owned by the two council’s. Should that continue, or should National Highways take over the bridge? But then what about the ferry? And just because National Highways were to take on the bridge, there is no guarantee the tolls would be abolished. If anything, it could mean less control over future management. Should a team in Whitehall decide how to run it, rather than elected Councillors in Cornwall and Plymouth. Although the casual observer might rightly point out that local Councillors have been running it for decades, and look how that’s turned out. I am not advocating one model over another, everything has consequences. My warning is to be wary of politicians who claim to have all the answers and promise all the funding. We don’t need short-term stop gaps; we need long-term sustainable operations for the Crossings.

The question of who pays is a central one to all of this. The crossing users currently fit the bill 100%. Should the government make a contribution? I think they should, particularly on the bridge where the A38 (a National Highways road) runs over the bridge without paying a penny piece. That could then put the question back to the Councils who might be asked to make a similar contribution towards the ferry crossings at Torpoint. It’s ultimately a question of who pays: the motorists who use it, the councils or the government, or a combination of all three?

Ultimately this issue didn’t crop up two weeks ago, it’s been rolling on for decades.

I do however think enough is enough of this whole merry-go-round and it’s time all parties got together to take the political football off the pitch and have a serious debate about how both the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry is run, and financed, in the long-term.

Nick Craker

Conservative Cornwall councillor for Liskeard