MPs have now joined the row over a proposed 150 per cent increase in the monthly administration charge for people in Cornwall and Devon who regularly cross the Tamar river for work, education and hospital appointments.

The increase in the charge for users of the Tamar Crossings TAG discount scheme has been agreed seven months after toll fees went up to plug a hole in the finances.

Members of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee – five councillors from each of the two joint authorities, Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council – voted in favour of the standing charge for having a TAG account to rise from 80p a month to £2 at their meeting last Friday (December 5).

The Tamar Tag is a pre-paid electronic tolling system that offers 50 per cent discount on tolls. In May users saw a 20p increase in the toll charge to £1.50 and car and vans without a tag now have to pay £3 to cross from Cornwall into Devon via the bridge or ferry.

MPs Anna Gelderd, Luke Pollard and Fred Thomas have signed a letter urging the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee to reconsider their decision to increase the admin charge.

The MPs urged the committee to reconsider this approach and ensure that any changes are “fully justified, consulted on, communicated transparently and implemented with due regard for the impact on local communities”.

In the letter, the MPs expressed their deep concerns that there has been no progress on making the tolls cheaper for local people. They say the committee’s decision only impacts local users, which flies in the face of previous discussions with the joint chairs and management of the bridge and ferry.

Anna Gelderd, Labour MP for South East Cornwall, said: “In South East Cornwall, we need cheaper, fairer tolls for local people. At every turn, it has been clear how many residents rely on crossing the Tamar for hospital appointments, work and essential services and no one should be deterred from accessing basic care or opportunity because of rising toll charges.

“This latest decision risks placing yet another cost on families who simply cannot absorb it. That’s why I’m pressing the committee for clear justification for the increase, full financial transparency, evidence of alternative options considered, a clear implementation timeline and a proper plan for communicating with local users.”

The Tamar Toll Action Group, which was formed in 2022 to try and get tolls abolished, is also aghast at the move. The group said the admin fee rise would not be good for “any resident or business reliant on crossing the Tamar to go about their daily lives”.

Keith Johnson, Reform UK councillor for Saltash Tamar, has also issued a strong objection to the proposal.

He warns that the increase is “unjustified, unaffordable, undemocratic” and part of a decade-long pattern of excessive toll and tag inflation that is crippling communities in South East Cornwall.

Cllr Johnson said: “Wages are not keeping up, inflation is at around 3.6%, yet the bridge continues to hike charges year after year. Our communities are getting poorer while the Tamar Crossings budget grows larger and more opaque.

“We are told to use Plymouth’s services, yet we are charged a financial penalty every time we cross into the city. This is not levelling up – this is levelling down.”

He is calling for an immediate independent audit: “Before a single penny is added to tolls or tag fees, the books must be opened. Residents deserve to know why the bridge is in so much debt and whether money is being spent wisely. Right now, they do not.”

The budget proposal will now go forward to Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council for final consideration and approval.

A spokesperson for Tamar Crossings, which manages the bridge and ferry, said: “We understand that many local people are concerned about the prospect of any increase.

“Tamar Crossings is committed to being transparent about why this change has been proposed, what the fee pays for, and how the public can continue to influence the decision.

“This proposal is part of a democratic process and members of the public are encouraged to share their views with their elected council representatives before a final decision is made. We welcome feedback and want residents to feel informed and heard throughout this process.”

It says the charge has been increased because the Tamar Tag admin fee has remained at £0.80 per month since 2014, despite significant rises in the costs of running the scheme. Tamar Crossings added that after more than a decade of this fee, the current rate is no longer viable.

“Even with the proposed increase to £2 per month, the fee still does not cover the full cost of operating the Tamar Tag scheme.”