FIFE NATIONALIST MSP Tricia Marwick has attacked the Scottish Executive for once again failing to scrap tolls on the Forth and Tay road bridges and instead looking to avoid the issue for political reasons.

She hit out following the announcement by Transport Minister Tavish Scott that consultants are to be appointed to carry out a detailed study of the economic, social and environmental costs and the impact of removing or retaining tolls.

The consultants’ initial findings won’t be ready until the end of the year.

The timescale was immediately attacked by several MSPs who believe it is simply a ploy to postpone any decision until after the Holyrood elections next year.

Mrs Marwick, the SNP list representative for Fife, said, “This is the devious Scottish Executive at its very worst.

“This latest consultation is nothing more than a desperate attempt to kick the issue into the long grass until after next year’s election.

“Enough is enough. The tolls on the Forth and Tay road bridges are an unfair tax on the people of Fife and Tayside and they must be scrapped now.”

Mark Ballard MSP, the Green Party’s transport spokesman, said, “We’re very sceptical about the reasoning behind this new review because the Executive has just completed a comprehensive two-phase review of Scotland’s tolled bridges.

“Now, under political pressure after the Dunfermline by- election, the Executive has set up yet another review, which largely covers the same ground.

“At this stage all we are being told is that the review will look at retaining or removing tolls—what we really need is an investigation into the use of ‘smart tolls’ as recommended by the previous reviews.

“These could include lower tolls at off-peak times and for public transport and for vehicles that contain more than one occupant.”