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MP in Commons move to exempt hospital patients from bridge toll
Alexandra Wood AN MP will bring the battle for the abolition of Humber Bridge tolls for patients and hospital visitors to the House of Commons today.
Cleethorpes MP Shona McIsaac is due to debate her Private Member's Bill, which calls for amendments to the Humber Bridge Act 1959.
With some forms of cancer and heart treatment now concentrated at hospitals in or near Hull, people from northern Lincolnshire and beyond are having to find money to cover travel costs and the 5 river crossing charge. A public inquiry has been called for next month following objections to the latest round of toll increases, with charges for cars set to rise by 20p to 2.70 one way in April.
The MP, whose Bill has cross-party support and is co-sponsored by Shadow Home Secretary David Davis, said: "I'm going to keep on with this issue until something gets done about it.
"It is scandalous that people travelling to hospital or to visit their relatives are having to pay such a lot of money. The last thing they need to do is fork out this money when they are already under a lot of pressure and stress."
The Bill would amend the 1959 Act to allow the Secretary of State to appoint two members of the Bridge board to represent the interests of the NHS.
The Secretary of State would then be able to direct his appointees "to represent the desirability of facilitating journeys across the bridge" for patients, hospital visitors and those training at hospitals run by Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust.
The Bill is supported by Macmillan Cancer Relief, whose director for East Midlands and Northern England Maureen Rutter said: "Macmillan Cancer Relief knows that having to pay for the Humber Bridge toll in order to get to hospital for lifesaving cancer treatment is a huge issue because cancer patients have told us.
"Macmillan is delighted that Shona McIsaac MP is continuing to raise the issue in Parliament."
A survey by the charity shows that up to three-quarters of cancer patients suffer financial hardship, with the cost sometimes running into tens of thousands of pounds. A loss of income coupled with the extra costs of having cancer such as travel or parking charges can see patients crippled with debt.
Macmillan is running a "Better Deal" campaign which calls on the Government to make benefits and other financial help easier to claim.
Information is available via a dedicated helpline, 0800 500 800, and a website www.macmillan.org.
In the last financial year the bridge collected 19.8m in tolls. Toll income is split between maintenance costs and repaying debt.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 11 February 2012
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