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Committee backs scrapping tolls MSPs support bridge tolls removal
(about 5 hours later)
The Scottish Parliament's transport committee has backed the Scottish National Party's policy of abolishing tolls on the Forth and Tay bridges. The Scottish Parliament's transport committee has backed the abolition of tolls on the Forth and Tay bridges.
In a report, the committee is expected to highlight that the cost will be £16m a year in lost revenue. However, MSPs voiced concerns about the impact on the environment and said steps should be taken to reduce the impact of increasing traffic levels.
It will also say that traffic on the Forth bridge is predicted to rise by 20%. The committee said scrapping the tolls would cost the Scottish Government about £87m over the next four years.
The majority of the committee backed the move - but convener Patrick Harvie, a Green MSP, voiced his dissent.
In May, MSPs voted in favour of a bill to scrap the two last remaining bridge tolls in Scotland.In May, MSPs voted in favour of a bill to scrap the two last remaining bridge tolls in Scotland.
The SNP pledged to remove the £1 fee to use the Forth bridge and the 80p toll to cross the Tay bridge in its election manifesto. We have strongly recommended in our report that measures are put in place in an effort to mitigate the extent of these negative effects Patrick HarvieGreen MSP
The SNP pledged in its election manifesto that it would remove the £1 fee to use the Forth bridge and the 80p toll to cross the Tay bridge.
The subsequent bill was supported by all the parties, except the Greens.The subsequent bill was supported by all the parties, except the Greens.
The transport committee's report is also expected to call for more measures to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions. Mr Harvie continued his party's opposition as the committee published its report.
He said: "The majority of our committee agrees with the Scottish Government's proposals to remove the tolls on the Forth and Tay road bridges, given that Fife is the only part of Scotland which routinely faces this cost.
"However, our committee is concerned that the removal of the bridge tolls on both the Forth and Tay road bridges will result in a negative environmental impact, particularly in terms of increased CO2 emissions.
MSPs also voted remove charges on the Tay
"We also accept that increased congestion and longer journey times are expected as a removal of tolls.
"We have therefore strongly recommended in our report that measures are put in place in an effort to mitigate the extent of these negative effects."
Mr Harvie said he was personally unable to support the bill because of the "negative environmental impact".
The committee said the Scottish Government should fund steps to reduce the traffic impact and called for steps to encourage more bus, rail and cycle use.
The report said abolition of tolls would create about 1,000 jobs in Fife but warned that increased congestion could cause problems for businesses.