Tolls to rise at Whitchurch Bridge this month
Inquiry rules in favour of owners’ 50 per cent increase, despite local opposition
DRIVERS crossing the Whitchurch toll bridge will see a 50 per cent toll increase from next month.
Car drivers will have to pay 60p (40p with a bridge toll card), up from 40p, while those in vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes will pay £4 or £2.50 for pre-paid tickets.
The Whitchurch Bridge Company, which owns and operates the privately-owned structure, said that the new prices will come into effect on August 12.
The rise follows the Department for Transport approval of the company’s request, which was heard at a public inquiry held in Pangboune in May, when the company argued that it needed to help cover the higher-than-expected costs of repairing the 113-year-old Grade-II listed bridge.
The bridge closed for reconstruction work in October 2013 but a series of setbacks, mainly the winter floods of 2013/14, delayed the project by nearly a year.
The cost of the work spiralled from £6.4m to £8.7m. Intending to borrow £1.2m, the company ended up borrowing £3.4m, which it wants to pay back within 15 years, while shareholders contributed £500,000.
Residents of Pangbourne and Whitchurch formed an action group to fight the toll rise, saying it was grossly disproportionate, given that the company successfully raised its toll in 2009 in order to help pay for the refurbishment.
They also accused the company of mismanaging the project.
However, planning inspector Mike Moore disagreed and ruled that while the toll would represent a significant increase in charges, the application was a reasonable proposal.
He said that there was a reasonable explanation for the unforeseen costs that were not directly attributable to the bad weather and added that the company took professional advice throughout the planning and reconstruction process.
“Although concerns have been expressed about the way the project was carried out, I am satisfied that the contract and the bridge reconstruction were not mismanaged,” he said.
At the time of the inquiry, the Department for Transport had received 293 written objections, while more than 1,500 people signed an online petition against the hike.
West Berkshire councillor for Pangbourne, Pamela Bale (Con) argued at the inquiry that, while trade had returned to Pangbourne, the increase in the toll so soon after reopening would likely deter those from villages north of Whitchurch.
Speaking about the decision, Mrs Bale said that the village was recovering but “people nowadays are weighing up the cost”.
“I do sympathise with the bridge company – it didn’t cost it peanuts to rebuild it,” she said.
“If it had been done and dusted in the original timescale, we wouldn’t be having any of this, but we are where we are.”
She said she had no evidence that the project had been mismanaged and added that the company had been “very, very unfortunate” with the weather.
Company secretary Geoff Weir said the firm was “pleased and relieved” that the rise had been approved but regretted the necessary increase.
He asked objectors to read the inspector’s report and accept its findings.
“We would far rather it had not been delayed by the floods and that it had been completed at a far lower cost, but the inspector rejected that the project was mismanaged,” he said.
Mr Weir said the company would be taking measures to mitigate the increase, including bridge card tolls being 40p instead of 45p and that people using the bridge more than four times in a day would not be charged.
The company would also look to work with a bridge users group in order to respond to any future concerns.