Village anger over bridge toll

One farmer, who says he is not alone, already pays £200 a year and is considering travelling miles out of his way rather than pay the 166 per cent increase, from 15p to 40p.

The issue has caused anger in the village of Aldwark, north of York, with villagers saying they are being "held to ransom".

Most say they have no choice but to pay the 40p charge, which comes into effect today.

But farmer Brian Proudley, 54, whose farm is on the border of the village, says he and other farmers are seriously considering taking the long way round.

"I'm over the bridge I don't know how many times a day. There's other farmers where it's even worse. They have land on either side of the bridge and God knows what they're going to do."

Steve Bird, a villager in his 40s, uses the bridge at least twice a day. He said: "There's no real choice. We've been held to ransom."

Derrick Jauncey, chairman of Linton-on-Ouse Parish Council, opposed the increase at a recent public inquiry.

"People say 40p is a trivial amount of money but, at five or six trips a day over a year, it adds up."

The bridge over the River Ure is used by 700,000 vehicles a year to cross the 230-year-old Aldwark Bridge between York and Boroughbridge.

The Department for Transport has accepted the recommendation of its inspector, Colin Tyrell, that the increases are justified.

At a two-day inquiry in April, Mr Tyrell heard that the two directors of Aldwark Bridge Ltd - Arnold and Raymond Burton who are in their 80s - had used £179,195 of their own money in 1999 when the listed structure was closed for 14 weeks for repairs.

The following year, they had formed the limited company to protect their position. But, by October last year, they had put £339,335 into keeping the bridge open. Tolls were last increased eight years ago when the fee for a car was increased from 8p to 15p.

"Without a reasonable increase in toll, the company's parlous state would deteriorate," said Mr Tyrell.