Councillors expected to freeze Mersey Tunnel tolls in 2019 and not increase LCRCA element of council tax
In papers to be published later today (8th January 2019), councillors on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee will be recommended to freeze tunnel tolls. The decision itself however will be made by Mayor Steve Rotheram and representatives of councils in the city region.
Although tunnel tolls are expected to stay the same for residents using a Fast Tag from the Liverpool City Region, there is expected to be a rise in the toll charged for residents from outside the region or not using the Fast Tag.
A recommendation not to increase the amount of council tax that goes to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority from local residents is also expected to be made.
However as there will be an election in May 2020 for the post of Liverpool City Region Mayor – it was expected that in an election year that neither the Mersey Tunnel tolls or council tax would rise.
The formal decisions at a public meeting by politicians on these matters will happen later this month.
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As i read in the papers this week the government is going to be spending billions, so i see no reason why tunnels or council tax needs to rise this year?
Thanks for your comment.
As pointed out above – the freeze is only for residents in the Liverpool City Region area that use Fast Tag. For others it is going up. But the control and operation of the Mersey Tunnels is completely under local government control (LCRCA) not national government.
Moving onto council tax there are four large elements that make it up – council, police, fire, combined authority (plus I think some very small amounts that don’t make much of an overall difference).
The amount it goes up by each year is a combination of all four and so far (based on what I’ve seen) it will go up but I can’t say by exactly how much until all four sets of politicians make their mind up! But apart from the combined authority – AFAIK the rises for the others are capped (above that there would have to be a referendum).