THE threat of the new road tolls on the Mersey bridges at Runcorn has featured strongly in this paper in recent weeks, and rightly so. And once again the Tory Prime Minister has come to Warrington but refused to scrap the road tolls.

So I urge all readers to sign the online petition to get the tolls scrapped, joining the 300 Warringtonians who have signed already.

This campaign has cross-party support and the full backing of the Warrington Guardian. Labour Parliamentary Candidate Nick Bent took the initiative to launch the petition to force Coalition Government ministers to change their minds. So far, the local Tory MP has failed to get his own ministers to listen to Warrington.

Unless ministers do a u-turn, the new road tolls would be imposed on all Warrington drivers using the current Silver Jubilee bridge and new Mersey Gateway Crossing. It will cost £2 each way, and the so-called ‘discount pass’ for Warrington drivers is £90 per month – more than £1,000 per year.

Road tolls at Runcorn will also mean even worse congestion in Warrington – that would be a nightmare for residents, for business and for our reputation.

We are particularly concerned that Warrington patients and visitors travelling to nearby hospitals such as Halton, Clatterbridge and Whiston will be hit by the road tolls, and we urge local NHS leaders to back our crossparty campaign.

You can find the online petition at WarringtonSouth.org. Thank you.

CLLR DAN PRICE Chairman of Local Economy Committee