Reading West MP Martin Salter has urged the Chief Executive of Oxfordshire County Council to incorporate the Whitchurch Bridge into the Highways Network.

Following the recent Public Inquiry which, despite allowing the owners to double the cost of the crossing, acknowledged the illogical situation the bridge and the local community are in, Mr Salter feels it is time for Oxfordshire County Council to take responsibility for the bridge.

Mr Salter wrote:

I have fully supported the local resident’s Tollfreeze campaign against these increases, but believe that there has to be a more long term solution to this problem. At present the bridge is an anomaly and only one of two bridges over the River Thames which levies on its users, something that is fundamentally unfair and must be addressed.

In addition Mr Salter said:

“It is time that charging local people to cross the River Thames was finally stopped and the last two toll bridges were incorporated into the highways network. It is an anachronistic practice that is having a considerable financial impact on residents either side of Whitchurch Bridge. It is monstrously unfair that whilst most people can cross the River Thames for free the residents of Pangbourne and Whitchurch are having to pay anything up to £10 a week for the privilege.

I hope Oxfordshire County Council will now take steps to end this absurd and unreasonable situation once and for all.”