Peak-time toll for Forth road bridge postponed

DRIVERS are to be spared a second toll price increase on the Forth Road Bridge for at least two years because of delays with the approval process.

Plans for an expected 50p rise to 1.50 for cars have been postponed from next April to late 2007. When the new rates come in, however, solo drivers might face charges as high as 3 during peak hours.

Lorries, which cause the most damage to the bridge, are expected to face even sharper increases, while buses would be able to cross free to encourage public transport.

News of the delay comes weeks after tolls for cars rose by 20p to 1 - an increase which was itself delayed by seven months after one objector forced a public inquiry.

However, the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA), which runs the bridge, said yesterday that it expected far greater opposition to its plans for further toll increases, which The Scotsman revealed in December.

FETA wants to reclassify the tolls, whose income is ring-fenced for spending on the bridge, as road user charges, so money can be used for wider transport improvements, such as upgrading the A8000 link road to the M9.

The tolls-to-charges change was originally planned for April 2006, when the existing toll-raising powers run out.

However, this been put off because FETA's local transport strategy - its planning blueprint - which paves the way for road user charges, has taken longer than expected to be finalised.

This is partly because FETA has been split over the most contentious element of the strategy - whether it should press ahead with a new crossing to cope with rising traffic levels.

Alastair Andrew, FETA's general manager, said it would now ask ministers to prolong existing tolling powers until charging was introduced.

Mr Andrew said FETA would have to follow the same process as Edinburgh City Council pursued in its failed attempt to introduce congestion charging this year. Public consultation is expected to be followed by a public inquiry to hear objections, with ministerial approval required before the scheme can be implemented.

Electronic toll collection equipment, which has the capability for variable charging, is due to replace the existing toll booths in June next year.

This will also allow tolls to be collected automatically as drivers pass.

Mr Andrew said: "Too many cars at peak hours are carrying just the driver, so one option is for a higher toll for single-occupancy vehicles, which would be ploughed back into public transport improvements."

He said an average 1.50 charge would raise 340 million over 15 years for improvements that could also include a continuous bus and high-occupancy vehicle lane between Fife and Edinburgh, extra bus services and improved park-and-ride sites.

But motoring groups have said FETA must spell out exactly what any increase would fund.