I REPLY to the letter from John Browning of Castle Rise, Runcorn.

He heaps praise on our local MP Mr Twigg, our local councillors and the Mersey Gateway team for a resounding result in getting the tolls scrapped for residents.

Well Mr Browning, if I am not mistaken the announcement was made by George Osborne of the ruling Conservative-Liberal Democrat alliance.

Let us not forget that it was Mr Twigg who applied for and secured the charging order for the publiclypaid- for Silver Jubilee bridge. It was the local Labour council that insisted on the new Mersey Gateway and the existing bridges being tolled for all.

It will be the local Labour council who will be setting the toll rates and it will be the local Labour council who will be setting the fee for the residents’ ‘free’ permits.

So there will be a charge for residents. It is a toll/tax — yet another strain on already-low pay packets. There is no mention of relief for local firms who will suffer due to the increased cost of travelling between the two towns of Halton.

I give as an example a local business which runs four vans four times a day between Runcorn and Widnes. There are approximately 253 working days this year which will mean roughly 8,192 journeys a year at a cost of around £2 a go, costing the business approximately £16,384. The cost will put this ‘business to the sword’, according to the owner.

Given the option of working in Runcorn for the minimum wage and paying £4 a day to travel over the Mersey or taking a job in Burtonwood for the minimum wage, where would you go? Mr Browning, are we getting a great deal from our Labour-run council?

Castle Rise Runcorn