I WISH to suggest ways that both the existing Mersey Tunnels and new Mersey Gateway could be toll-free.

Options to explore in providing continuous funding are to initially develop a phasing out programme over a couple of years to still bring in revenue with the eventual intention of utilising available Liverpool City Region Combined Authority strategy funds, applying for Heritage Lottery Fund grants, gaining any appropriate EU assistance, securing highways and environmental agency contracts for maintenance, setting up appropriate deals with Merseytravel, Arriva North West and Warrington and Halton Transport to donate additional funding while also utilising available trade personnel within Liverpool and Halton Council in carrying out the ongoing updates.

How about downgrading senior management and executive salaries within all Liverpool City Region councils to those more comparable with salaries earned by the common man?

A final suggestion is to incorporate the delicate subject of utilising the increase of council taxes to fund at least half the ongoing costs that such engineering projects require in maintaining a steady flow of private traffic alongside public transport in getting the local population to where they need to be with the least cost possible.

I fear that private sector finance still determines the rules and regulations of these situations so until we get council leaders who are prepared to break the shackles of corporate kowtowing then we remain downtrodden citizens of ‘progress’.

Greg Taylor

St Helens