DUNDEE COUNCILLORS last night gave their full backing to the campaign to abolish tolls on the Tay Road Bridge and agreed to seek an early meeting with ministers to put forward a joint case with Fife and Angus Councils.

Councillor Helen Dick also suggested the Scottish Executive should have a trial period without tolls to test the claim by ministers that city centre congestion would increase.

At a meeting of the policy and resources committee, convener Jill Shimi proposed a motion that the committee agree to support the Tay Road Bridge joint board’s decision to ask Transport Minister Tavish Scott to rescind the tolls, and to give full support to the campaign to abolish the tolls.

The motion also asked the members to agree to write to the appropriate minister in conjunction with Fife and Angus councils to seek an early meeting to put the case for abolition of tolls.

The SNP group intended to propose a similar motion but Councillor Joe FitzPatrick withdrew it as the point was covered by Councillor Shimi’s motion.

Councillor Shimi had requested the item be placed on the agenda as an urgent extra item.

She said she hoped for unanimous agreement from the members.

Councillor Helen Dick, seconding, said she could not accept the reasoning behind the suggestion that congestion, and related environmental effects, would increase in Dundee if tolls were removed.

She suggested a trial period without tolls to see what changes emerged.

Councillor Shimi’s motion received unanimous backing.