No low tunnel tolls

Press, 30 August 1977, Page 1

No low tunnel tolls

Suggestions of concessions in road tunnel tolls were gently but firmly laid to rest by the Christchurch - Lyttelton Road Tunnel Authority yesterday. The member of Parliament for Lyttelton (Miss Colleen Dewe), had suggested that the authority consider introducing concessions for regular tunnel users living both in Lyttelton and Christchurch now that increased tolls were being mooted. Those users contributed substantially to the tunnels revenue, she said. An authority member, Mr W. V. Cowles, asked how regular users could be distinguished from irregular ones. “I’m a regular user —I use it once a year,” he said. The chairman (Mr V. G. Spiller) said that ever since the tunnel opened there had been a firm policy against concessions. "We have had many approaches — from watersiders, tally clerks, and others all saying they had a special case, but the policy has always been to turn them down.” The authority agreed that even if increased tolls were introduced no concessions would be available.