A MEETING of Cornwall Council’s cabinet has signed off a recommendation to increase the tolls to cross the Tamar, despite hearing that it’s costing families in south east Cornwall £3.5-million a year to use the bridge and ferry, often to make vital visits to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for treatment.

The Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry are operated and maintained jointly by Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council, and are funded by toll income as approved by the Tamar Bridge Act.

Cornwall’s conservative cabinet approved a recommendation today (Wednesday, February 7) that the toll is increased to £3 for cars and £1.50 for the discounted TAG scheme for regular users. It is currently £2.60 for cars and £1.30 for TAG subscribers.

Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee requires the cabinets of both Cornwall and Plymouth councils to recommend the annual budget and business plan to both their full councils which then also have to vote on it.

Cornwall Council’s full council will now discuss the toll increases at its next meeting on February 20, while Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet will discuss the same report on February 12, followed by its full council on February 26.

Cornwall’s portfolio holder for transport Cllr Richard Williams-Pears said: “This is a very convoluted process and we’re about midway through it.”

He explained that traffic at both crossings is running at 90 per cent of pre-covid levels which, added to high inflation levels since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, means that without the tolls increase, the forecast income would be insufficient to support the “continued delivery of safe reliable and efficient crossings”.

“There is no provision for further financial support from the budgets of either parent authority,” he told councillors.

Cllr Louis Gardner, the council’s portfolio holder for economy, added: “We continue to lobby government for some support for this, which we do desperately need for the sake of both councils.”

Cllr Hilary Frank, who represents Saltash Essa division, said: “We have data that shows since the last toll increase last year our residents in south east Cornwall are paying £3.5-million every year in tolls and this is not sustainable for families or our economy.

“Are you aware of the tweets by Sheryll Murray MP over the weekend which says she’s against these increase in tolls. She has advised the Tamar TAG Action Group that she will be going to the Secretary of State and backing our cause not to have the Tamar TAGs increased this year.”

Council leader Cllr Linda Taylor said she was not aware of the MP’s tweets.

Liskeard South and Dobwalls councillor Jane Pascoe, who is chairman of the South East Cornwall CAP (community area partnership) and represents 29 parishes, said: “All of those parishes have to regularly use that bridge to access hospitals and it’s becoming increasingly expensive for them to get to hospital to get their treatment.

“How many more years are we going to talk about this bridge and put the burden on the residents of south east Cornwall to pay for it? It cannot go on.”

Cllr Williams-Pears responded: “While we certainly don’t wish to put any additional financial burden on anybody, we are talking about a TAG increase of 20p. So if you were to cross the bridge 100 times over the course of a year that would be £20 additional, which is a cost but we have to ensure that the books are balanced.”