A local residents’ toll bridge discount scheme is “unfair” to people living in a nearby village which has not been included, a council has said.
The one-way charge for crossing Warburton Toll Bridge will increase from 12p to £1 from next week. Warrington Council said it had concerns about Glazebrook residents not qualifying for the reduced fee.
Peel Ports said it had “no legal authority to change the scheme” and was “bound” by a decision made by the Department for Transport (DfT).
The toll increase was approved by the DfT and any changes to discounted areas would require further applications from the operator to the government.
The DfT is not involved with administering the discount scheme.
People living in the areas of Risley, Lymm and Partington will be eligible for a 50% discount when the new rate comes into force on 5 November.
Manchester Ship Canal Company – part of Peel Ports – was given permission by the government to increase the toll from 12p to £1 to fund works on the bridge.
While they have been taking place, the bridge has been free to cross.
Warrington Council leader Hans Mundry said the local authority had made “extensive efforts over many months” to change the eligibility criteria for the discounts, but that Glazebrook residents had still been denied.
“We’ve made the case to Peel that including the village would only add around 275 properties to the discount scheme – a small fraction of the overall eligible number – yet it would make a significant difference to the residents of Glazebrook who use the bridge regularly for work and community purposes,” he said.
“As a council, our primary objective in this matter has been to protect residents who live near to the bridge – and rely on it – from these major increases, particularly at a time when people are already facing real financial pressures in many other areas of life.
“We’re very disappointed by this decision, which we believe is unfair to the residents of Glazebrook, and we’re urging Peel to reconsider.”
In response, a spokesperson for Peel Ports said: “We have advised the council that we are bound by the decision of the Department for Transport and we have no legal authority to change the scheme.
“Once the restart of tolls is complete, we remain very open to discussing with the council about how we move this forward with DfT.”