By Steve Bargeton, political editor

THE COST of crossing the Forth road bridge by car is set to rocket when the current bridge tolls are scrapped and replaced by a new variable congestion charge.

At present the Forth Estuary Transit Authority (FETA) which operates the bridge is allowed only to charge a £1 flat rate for a car.

But in April next year FETA will be allowed to alter the rate, hitting commuters with a charge of £3 or more at peak times.

Last night MSPs warned that the move could be used to control the flow of traffic from Fife and the north into Edinburgh and to raise huge amounts for bridge repairs and to subsidise other road improvement projects.

FETA general manager Alastair Andrew confirmed that a switch from tolls to road charging was on the way.

“FETA was given the powers to introduce a road user charge by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 and our local transport strategy, agreed by members at the last meeting, outlines the public transport improvement schemes which can be funded by road user charging,” he said.

“The details of such a charge have yet to be discussed and consulted upon but could lead to differential tolling at peak time or by vehicle occupancy.

“Recognising the time required to prepare a local transport strategy and introduce a road user charge, the Scottish Executive extended the 1997 Tolling Order to March 31, 2006.

“FETA will make application to the Scottish Executive for a further extension to the current tolling regime to cover the period until a road user charge can be introduced.”

He also admitted that the authority faces a £12 million “funding gap” for improvements to the A8000, fuelling fears that commuters will be squeezed further.

“FETA is committed to reconstructing the congestion bottleneck of the A8000 at an estimated project cost of £36 million but may have a temporary funding gap during the construction phase,” he said.

“The Scottish Executive has agreed to fill the funding gap up to £24 million to ensure that there is no delay in delivering this much needed scheme.

“This underwriting only guarantees security of funding but the exact amounts and terms of payment for any shortfall met by the Executive are still subject to discussion.”

Last night MSPs were in no doubt that the cost for motorists crossing the bridge is set to soar.

“The use of the Forth road bridge tolls as a method of introducing congestion charging will hit the many Fifers who use the bridge to go to work,” said Mid Scotland and Fife Liberal Democrat MSP Andrew Arbuckle.

“The road bridge is, or should be, part of the national road network, not a handy opportunity to fleece motorists who have few other travel options. This move to introduce variable charging seems to have been sneaked through and I am sure there will be many incensed motorists when they realise what has happened.”

He added, “What annoys me is that this is more money coming out of the Fife economy in order to sort out Edinburgh’s problems.”

Mid Scotland and Fife SNP MSP Bruce Crawford said, “It is just not acceptable that Fifers will end up paying for Edinburgh’s indecision over congestion charging. This is actually road toll charging by the back door.

“The whole thing makes a mockery of the Executive’s so-called review of toll bridges.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said that ministers had received no firm proposals from FETA regarding changes to the charging arrangements on the bridge.

She confirmed that ultimately any changes would have to be approved by ministers.