COUNCIL leader Tony McDermott has called for reduced tolls for Halton residents on the proposed new Mersey Gateway. He made the request in a letter to Alastair Darling - the Secretary of State for Transport - which was included with Halton's final submission on the new bridge this week.

Cllr McDermott wrote: 'The tolling investigation has shown that tolling at reasonable levels can contribute significantly to the cost of the project.

'Whilst I fully understand the Government's desire to keep public expenditure at prudent levels, tolling is a big issue with local people.

'The river divides the borough and the only local link is the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge. Tolls would lessen the tremendous benefits the new crossing will bring to the local area particularly given the levels of deprivation in Halton and the neighbouring Merseyside districts.

'Our submission contains details of a tolling option based on the Mersey Tunnels tolling regime, but with a significantly reduced toll for local residents.

'Our financial projections show that this will deliver an income stream that will result in a total requirement for Government support of £132m. The reduced toll will be very important to local residents and I note is not dissimilar to that proposed for the Thames Gateway project.

'Clearly, securing your support for the Mersey Gateway is crucially important and I hope that when your staff have analysed our submission, you will feel able to make a very positive statement.

'I am sure that you will understand our concerns at a local level about the impact that tolling will have on Halton's residents who, of course, cross the present inadequate Silver Jubilee Bridge at no cost.

'I would hope that the relevant officers can continue the dialogue between the borough council and the Department for Transport over the coming months to ensure that the financial arrangements are acceptable to both Government and the borough council and its residents.'

But Cllr McDermott also assured residents that Halton would be pushing the case for a toll-free bridge.

He said: 'The issue of tolling has become a live issue now. If a free to user bridge is not available then a tolled regime is better than not having a bridge at all.

'The amount, if anything, that local motorists will pay depends upon the level of Government contribution and we can be sure that our MPs will be pressing home the case in the coming few weeks.

'We still need to keep the pot boiling here and the more letters and messages of support we can generate the better.'