Landmark Bridge trust says tolls need to increase

CLIFTON Suspension Bridge could be closed to traffic unless the trust that runs it can raise £20 million over the next 25 years.

- Angus MCINTYRE

The details were revealed in the trust’s public consultation on the proposal to raise the toll price of the bridge from £1 to £1.50 per crossing.

The bridge is undergoing major renovations to its paint and lights, to avoid corrosion of its over 160-year-old ironwork, which have caused closures in the past year.

That process occurs every quarter of a century, and the trust has said with projected inflation it will need to set aside £20 million to be able to pay for the next round of works in 2049/50. The proposal to increase charges would be the first in a decade. The trust says it is essential to build up the required cash reserves.