TamarTag price hike reversed - for now

FULL CONSULTATION AND SEARCH FOR SAVINGS WILL NOW BE MADE

- By ALISON STEPHENSON

FULL CONSULTATION AND SEARCH FOR SAVINGS WILL NOW BE MADE Toll booths on the Tamar Bridge

(FOTONOW.CO)

PLANS to increase the admin fee for users of the TamarTag discount scheme by 150% have been reversed - for now.

The Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee has agreed to carry out a full investigation of the impact of any rise, and conduct a new search for savings. It will spend up to £10,000 on consulting the public.

The monthly tag account fee will remain unchanged from its current 80p per monthly rate and not rise to £2, as recommended by the committee in December.

The recommendation had caused anger among the public so soon after a toll increase.

Officers will go back to the drawing board to see what savings can be made from the budget, and what support can be given to avoid the increase, by talking with MPs, parent companies of the crossings, Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council and stakeholders.

The committee will also be writing to the government to ask for a £500,000 revenue grant to support the cost of the bridge.