ANTI-TOLLS campaigners are using Freedom of Information legislation in a bid to find out exactly what the latest review of tolls on the Forth and Tay Road Bridges will entail.

The public consultation exercise staged by the Scottish Executive ends tomorrow.

Consultants will then be appointed to carry out the review.

But the Scottish Branch of the National Alliance Against Tolls claim the specification of the study is being kept secret because of commercial confidentiality.

John McGoldrick, spokesman for NAAT Scotland, said, “We have been trying for some time to get from the Executive the brief that will be given to the consultants that will carry out the review.

“We thought it bizarre that the public were invited to submit evidence without knowing what the consultants will be doing with it.

“We have contacted the Executive again and they have told us that a brief went out to interested firms some weeks ago and they have had tenders in, but have not yet awarded a contract.

“We have asked for the spec of what the consultants are being asked to do, but they have refused to provided this as it is a “commercial confidence.”

“In our view, this information should not be confidential, as all those invited to tender will already know it.

“The only ones being kept in the dark will be the public.

“We have now asked them (the Scottish Executive) to treat our request as a Freedom of Information request.”

It means it may be another month before there is a reply, and the request may be refused, he added.