THE public will be asked their views on a controversial plan to increase the monthly admin charge for users of the Tamar Crossings discount scheme in March.

A consultation process open to all users of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry not just Tamar Tag holders begins on March 9 and will run for four weeks.

The committee which manages and operates the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry on behalf of Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council put plans to increase the monthly admin charge from 80p to £2 on hold in January after public uproar.

It says that the current fee does not cover costs but has agreed to hold a consultation before a final decision is made.

Chief operating officer for Tamar Crossings Philip Robinson said there would be details issued soon with a link to give views on the website but there would also be some drop in sessions for people who did not have access to a phone or computer.

The costs of running the Tamar Tag scheme is currently more than the income which comes in from the 52,000 account holders fees. The charges have remained stagnant since the Tag was introduced in 2014.

Not raising the charge means the committee will have to dip into its reserves which are predicted to deplete by 2029/30, it recently reported.

But the proposal is hot on the heels of a toll rise last May. Tamar Tag users now pay £1.50 to cross the bridge and everyone else £3.

Tolls fund the bridge and the finances have struggled since covid when less people were travelling. There is a campaign supported by MPs and councils to get the government to take it over.

Mr Robinson said there was no money available from either Plymouth City Council or Cornwall Council to fund or manage the bridge but the committee was required to deliver a balanced budget.

He said they were looking at how to cut cost internally but the options were fairly limited.

He said he hoped people would find the proposed increase reasonable as the aim was to try and keep the crossing charges as low as possible for local residents

He said the alternative would be to reduce the discount which they did not want to do or apply to the government for an increase in tolls.