Why do we charge to use the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry? Our aim is to provide a safe, effective and efficient service, offering reliable crossings of the River Tamar, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The two crossings are owned and operated jointly by Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council. Both crossings were established on a ‘user pays’ principle and they continue to rely almost entirely on this source of funding, we receive no subsidies from local or central government. Legislation states that the money we take can only be used to operate, maintain and improve the two crossings and contribute to public transport initiatives which support the two crossings. The pie charts below reflect our sources of income and how we spend your money.

This document explains why you need to pay to use the bridge and ferry, what we do with the money and why we will need more income from 2014. Please read this document before completing the enclosed questionnaire as your views are needed to help us plan for the future.

Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry

FINANCING THE CROSSINGSPublic Consultation October 2013

Why do we need more money?Significant savings have been made in staff costs and ferry maintenance but these have been outweighed by reduced traffic (and therefore our income) resulting from the recession. We also have to cover inflation in our costs.In order to deliver a safe and reliable service we cannot compromise safety and essential maintenance. For example, we have recently

installed red lane studs across the bridge and will soon be starting a major bridge painting programme and replacing the bridge joints. Routine maintenance tasks such as refitting ferries also need to continue.Over the next few years our expenditure is forecast to exceed our income by £0.5 to £1 million a year. The graph below shows our recent financial history and our forecast income and expenditure over the next five years.

2011/12-3

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-1

0

1

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3

4

5

6

7

8

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10

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2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19

£Million

Minimum reserve

Bridge and ferry operational expenditure

Cost centre expenditure

Bridge and ferry toll income

2012/2013 figures

other 2%

staff 56%

operations 16%

maintenance 21%

administration 5%

corporate 5%

financing 19%

ferry 50%

bridge 27%

bridge 84%

ferry 11%other 5%

Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee Cashflow Forecast 2013

Expenditure, Income and balance (without any increase in charges)Total expenditure

Reserve without tag account fee

Income (no increase)

How will we make ends meet?Councillors and council officers have been looking at ways to make up the shortfall, looking particularly at increasing tolls or introducing a monthly account charge for TamarTag users. This account charge would reflect the cost of providing tags and running the pre-paid electronic system. The TamarTag system is currently used by 60 per cent of customers who benefit from half-price crossings. TamarTag users already enjoy the highest level of discount of any major tolled crossing in the UK.The Joint Committee of councillors that governs the crossings believes that the fairest and most efficient solution is to introduce a monthly TamarTag account fee of 80p from April 2014. Introducing this charge would ensure that both cash and discount tolls could remain unchanged for at least the next three years.

Looking to the futureWe will continue to look for savings and will continuously review traffic levels to update our business plans and financial forecast. We want to involve all of our customers and other stakeholders in our future plans and welcome views and comments on the service. Please complete the questionnaire and return it to us by 7th November 2013.

Call us on 01752 361577 or email us.Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

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