MP for Beverley and Holderness, led a delegation of MPs from both banks of the Humber to meet with Transport Minister Sadiq Khan, calling for him to commit the Government to action on the tolls.
Graham, who has campaigned for the tolls to be scrapped or reduced to just £1 per car crossing as a boost to the area’s economy, said the Minister had recognised the strength of feeling on the issue raised by the MPs.
But Graham said: “While we thank the Minister for the attention he has paid to this matter and the work his department is doing in reviewing the Colin Buchanan report into the impact of the tolls commissioned by the four local authorities in the area, we need more.
“The Minister will not agree to allowing trials of a toll reduction or even a toll holiday until his department has completed this review and he was unable to tell us when that would be completed – never mind when we can expect any action.”
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne MP has already said he will launch a Treasury-led review of the impact of the tolls.
Graham said: “Only under a Conservative Government will we get the involvement from the Treasury we will need to get the debt problem resolved.
“Without Treasury buy-in the debt will not be written off. George Osborne has promised a Treasury-led review of the economic and social impact of the Humber Bridge tolls on local residents and the wider area.
“The DfT is doing its own work, and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Liam Byrne) has promised to review any evidence presented, but Labour still won’t take the joined-up approach (between the DfT and the Treasury) that this issue needs.”
Graham said in a letter to Mr Byrne: “While the attention paid by the Department for Transport to this issue is welcome, I am sure you will agree that there is no prospect of any real progress being made on the Humber Bridge debt without the approval of HM Treasury.
“I hope that, having reviewed the report, you will agree to match the commitment given by the Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne MP to commission a Treasury-led review into the impact of the tolls.”
