HALTON businesses claim they face the prospect of going under if 'excessive' bridge tolls become a reality if the New Mersey Crossing opens. Halton Borough Council arranged a meeting with firms in the borough to discuss toll proposals for the bridge. And according to one Halton businessman, a marketing official had been drafted in to brief firms on the tolling system which the council is considering. However, business bosses voiced their concerns over the effects that collecting fares will have on their trade as many use the bridge up to 10 times a day. One worried businessman said: 'We were told about how good the bridge was going to be for easing the traffic problems. However, some smaller businesses could be swallowed up as a result of the fares. 'Traders, contractors and builders could be among the worst hit as a lot go back and to all the time for materials.' One of the issues the Government wants the Mersey Crossing Partnership to consider is whether to charge tolls on the crossing. But back in May, Tony McDermott, leader of the council, said: 'Our ambition is still to have a free-to-use bridge.' However, according to people who were at the meeting at the Halton Stadium, the discussion was geared up to a debate about the issues of tolling on the new bridge when it is opened to traffic in 2009. It is expected that the proposed £335m bridge will encourage Halton's businesses to flourish but if the idea of tolling goes ahead then some smaller Halton businesses claim they will be threatened with closure or forced to cut costs as a counter-measure to soften the blow of tolls. Another Halton manager said: 'I have a number of vans and I do a lot of work in Widnes and Runcorn so the tolling system is going to hit me hard in the pocket.' More than 80,000 vehicles currently cross the Silver Jubilee Bridge every day and although the new crossing will ease traffic, there are fears that the tolling will not ease the financial burden but force them to tighten their purse strings. A Widnes businessman said: 'If drastic tolls are implemented by the council then it could cripple some businesses and force managers and businesses to think twice to whether or not they can afford to work in the borough and keep crossing the Mersey.' A council spokeswoman said: 'No decisions have been made regarding possible tolling of the New Mersey Crossing - the Mersey Crossing Group has always supported a non-tolled crossing. 'We are currently carrying out further technical studies, the results of which will be submitted to the Department of Transport in September.' | 
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