WARBURTON Bridge Road is a public road and not a private road, so no charge should be made to use it.

The Act 1863 set a daily charge of 2/6d (25p) to cross the stone bridge close to where the toll booth currently stands.

At that time the River Mersey flowed beneath the bridge.

In 1880s the Manchester Ship Canal was dug and the old River Mersey diverted, leaving it to dry up.

A cantilever bridge was built to span the Ship Canal so people could access either side of the canal.

Peel Holdings are trying to say that the toll was transferred to the cantilever bridge from the old stone bridge.

If that is the case, can an Act of Parliament be transferred from one act to another without it firstly being repealed and removed from statute before it being applied to a new act?

There are no charges for crossing the Manchester Ship Canal such as the Cantilever Bridge near Latchford locks or across the roads where there is a swing bridge, i.e. Chester Road.

The Warburton Toll is out of date in the 21st century and should be removed from statute.

Sadly, the Government places this as a low priority and is not prepared to do anything about it.

PETER STEPHENS Warrington