Tolls to cross Clifton Suspension Bridge set to double to £1
IT could soon cost motorists twice as much to cross the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
The current toll is 50p but the trust responsible for the bridge's upkeep has asked the Department of Transport for permission to raise it to £1 to meet the rising cost of running it.
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Clifton Suspension bridge
But for regular users who buy a crossing card in advance, the price could be as low as 35p per crossing.
The Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust needs to spend £8 million on vital repair and maintenance work on the 147-year-old bridge.
In 2010 the trustees announced the cash toll might have to double, and now a formal request is being submitted. The trust says neither Bristol City Council nor North Somerset Council objected to the proposal.
A recent review of the finances of the trust revealed it costs £1 million a year to run the bridge – around two-thirds of its total income.
But they say they need more money to cover the £8 million cost of maintenance over the next ten years. More than half that – £4.5 million – has been earmarked for essential works in the next five years.
The charitable trust receives no outside help towards its costs, so the running and maintenance of the bridge has to be paid for using the tolls paid by drivers of the three million vehicles crossing the bridge annually.
Maintenance projects planned currently include painting, waterproofing, stone conservation, and the provision of safe access to the 12 vaulted chambers discovered in 2002 within the Leigh Woods abutment, the stone structure supporting one of the towers of the bridge.
Tim Baines, clerk to the trustees, said: "While the trustees propose increasing the cash toll to £1 per crossing in order to 'balance the books,' they stress that regular users of the bridge still will be able to benefit from a reduced rate, purchasing in advance bulk quantities of crossings stored on an electronic pass card which operates the barriers.
"This means that, for the most regular customers who purchase up to 1,000 crossings in advance, the increases will be kept to inflation."
Cards will cost between £35 and £350 for between 50 and 1,000 crossings – meaning a single crossing could cost between 35p and 70p.
For drivers with crossing cards when the toll increase comes into effect, the charge will remain at that which applied at the time when the card was purchased.
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by CityClarky
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 9:24PM
“boycott the bride everyone and get the old guard out. Lets get modern, surely the 'Avon cosmetics' bridge or the 'dyson' hydrobridge naming rights could sort this mess out.”
by smoosername
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 8:40PM
“@Kwacker...
Don't be angry with me. Was just pointing out you were wrong according to Google. You'd have to ask Google how it calculates its estimated fuel cost. Maybe you have a different way of calculating it?
I actually think 80p for 3 miles in fuel is a little over estimated, would imagine it more to be 50p depending on your car. I also took only the bridge (100m) into comparison because there are different routes depending on where you are heading.
But your point on pollution is correct. This increase may actually cause more. Great hey?”
by CityClarky
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 8:17PM
“I ride a 50 cc scooter because I'm skint and now this is going to cost me £2 a day to ride my bike accross 50 meters. Thats £500 a year. They need to consider how this impacts peoples lives.”
by Kwacker
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 8:14PM
“by smoosernameWednesday, February 15 2012, 7:45PM
"@Kwacker
I'm afraid you're wrong, once the price actually goes up to £1 it will then be cheaper (in fuel cost) to take the less direct route.
It will actually be 0.20p cheaper to go via the Cumberland Basin (Google estimates 0.80p fuel cost).
http://tinyurl.com/77pe2pc"
Really, so apart from worrying over 20p and your journey taking an hour longer if in rush hour did Google take into account being stuck in traffic and all the extra fuel used with that, also you have to take in to account wear and tear on the vehicle itself plus wear on the tyres ect.
extra pollution also if we want to get really silly.
I still think anyone objecting to 1 measly £ to cross something we should be proud of isn't a real Bristolian.”
by smoosername
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 7:45PM
“@Kwacker
I'm afraid you're wrong, once the price actually goes up to £1 it will then be cheaper (in fuel cost) to take the less direct route.
It will actually be 0.20p cheaper to go via the Cumberland Basin (Google estimates 0.80p fuel cost).
http://tinyurl.com/77pe2pc”
by Kwacker
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 7:05PM
“Can't see a problem with this increase, at least it's for something worthwhile and it's not going through the councils hands.
Still very cheap.
As for people saying they'll go a different way...... What a load of rubbish. It would cost more to go any other way”
by bril_lil
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 5:44PM
“There could be 'voluntary' donation boxes for pedestrians instead of raising toll, and hopefully it would cover maintenance cost.”
by Roversteve
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 2:47PM
“The next thing will be an increased number of double yellow lines appearing in North Road and surrounding residential streets to deter people parking up and walking the bridge free of charge!They already tried that ridiculous sign at the Beggar Bush Lane end of North Road trying to stop cars entering between 7.30am and 9.00am......how money tries to talk!!”
by SpinyHedgehog
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 2:38PM
“@Bristoldjsuk
"Given that you don't have a run up as you have to stop to pay the toll... The top speed would probably have to clear 150 after 2-3 seconds."
Interesting challenge. Do you think we could stage this as part of the Gurt Macky Green Numpty Week?”
by lsquire1234
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 12:56PM
“I thought you Bristol people liked this bridge?
Surely you won't mind paying for it”