WARRINGTON South MP Faisal Rashid has vowed to keep the pressure on the Government over scrapping tolls on the Mersey Gateway Bridge for his constituents.

And Tory Warrington South parliamentary candidate Andy Carter says he does not believe residents in the town should be paying to use the crossing.

Former Chancellor George Osborne pledged that drivers in Warrington and Cheshire West and Chester would have tolls on the Mersey Gateway Bridge waived ahead of the 2015 General Election.

But many of the town’s motorists have faced a £1,080 yearly bill to cross the site following a Government U-turn.

In a Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday, Labour’s Mr Rashid asked Department for Transport Minister Michael Ellis why, despite assurances that the tolls would be scrapped four years ago, his constituents were still paying costly toll fees.

Mr Rashid said: “This broken promise has meant that my constituents are paying the price in extra motoring costs and increased congestion.

“Time and time again, the Government has let my constituents down on this issue – they have been lied to and are still being treated like a cash cow.

“This is totally unacceptable and the people of Warrington South deserve better.

“I want to assure my constituents that I will be keeping up the pressure on the Government to make good on its promise and extend toll-free travel to Warrington South residents.”

The debate on transport in Cheshire was tabled by MP Justin Madders.

Mr Carter also raised his concerns on the issue but was keen to highlight how he believes the Tories have helped motorists in the town.

He said: “I don’t believe Warrington residents should be paying to use the Mersey Gateway Bridge and have raised the matter with the secretary of state on a number of occasions and will continue to do so.

“The reality of years of underinvestment by successive governments means that infrastructure here in Warrington hasn’t kept pace.

“Journeys are taking longer than they ought to but this is changing.

“The Conservative Government has committed to invest in the borough – the new Centre Park bridge will ease traffic flow from Chester Road, across the Mersey to Wilson Patten Street and the Warrington Western Link will deliver a crossing over both the Mersey and the Ship Canal.

“That’s three bridges in Warrington under a Conservative Government and during the 14 years Labour were in Government they built nothing.”