MOTORISTS AND the environment would suffer if tolls over the Forth Road Bridge were abolished, says Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA).

Tom Aitchison, who is chief executive of both FETA and City of Edinburgh Council, has submitted the bridge operator’s case for retaining the £1 charge to the Scottish Executive consultation into tolls on the Forth and Tay crossings, which closed on Thursday.

FETA’s insistence that the charge is necessary to fund maintenance work and cross-Forth transport improvements has angered Fife councillors, MSPs and action group National Alliance Against Tolls (NAAT) Scotland.

Yesterday, NAAT Scotland expressed disappointment at FETA’s refusal to scrap the tolls.

John McGoldrick, spokesman for NAAT Scotland, said, “The other day the Tay bridge board confirmed its previous position that they want tolls scrapped, so it’s a bit disappointing that FETA is not taking the same approach.

“Having said that, I am not surprised. There is a fairly strong faction in FETA, led of course by Edinburgh, that want to keep the tolls.”

In his submission to the Executive, Mr Aitchison claimed daily traffic over the bridge would increase by almost a quarter if there were no tolls.

He said running costs and maintenance of the bridge, estimated at £1.75 million a year, were entirely funded by the £1 toll.

Over the next 15 years, FETA expects to spend £118 million on strengthening and upgrading the structure, including current projects to install acoustic monitoring and dehumidification systems to monitor and prevent further corrosion in the main cables.

There is also painting work and carriageway resurfacing in the pipeline, and FETA is even looking into the possibility of completely replacing the main cables should they deteriorate further.

Mr Aitchison, referring to FETA’s local transport strategy published in 2004, said removing tolls would increase the average daily traffic flow on the bridge by 21%, “leading to a significant increase in the current levels of congestion.

“This would have a negative impact on journey times and environmental conditions, as well as exacerbating the problems of maintaining and operating the bridge,” he added.

FETA convener and Edinburgh councillor Lawrence Marshall said, “The unique circumstances of the Forth Road Bridge mean that it would be folly to remove tolls at this stage.

“Funded entirely by tolls, the Forth Road Bridge has set industry-leading standards of maintenance, inspection and health and safety.

“Our 2004 investigation into corrosion inside the main cables has set UK best practice. It is questionable whether this proactive investigation would have been possible if we were funded from a central budget.

“A blanket decision to abolish tolls would only increase congestion and environmental damage.

“It would also severely restrict the options available to the Scottish Executive as they consider whether and how to fund any additional crossing of the Forth.”