A local MSP has strongly criticised plans from Glasgow City Council to introduce an “at-city-boundary congestion charge” and a toll on the Clyde Tunnel at The Scottish Parliament.
Speaking at Holyrood’s General Question Time, Eastwood MSP, Jackson Carlaw highlighted that if the proposals are implemented, people who live in his constituency would be charged every time they drove into Glasgow.
Motorists could be charged twice on the same journey if they also passed through the Clyde Tunnel.
Mr Carlaw was questioning the Scottish Government on what engagement it has had with Glasgow City Council over the possible congestion and toll charges.
SNP Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop said that the Scottish Government has not held specific discussions with Glasgow City Council over the plans.
Mr Carlaw urged Ms Hyslop to now raise the matter with Glasgow City Council and to ensure that the unjust road charges for Eastwood residents are not implemented.
A report approved at Glasgow City Council’s Economy, Housing, Transport and Regeneration City Policy Committee in August reinforced that the local authority is committed to exploring an “at-city-boundary congestion charge” and the tolling of the Clyde Tunnel.
Scottish Conservative MSP for Eastwood, Jackson Carlaw said:
“The SNP are continuing to wage a war on motorists at both the national and local level.
“SNP-run Glasgow City Council’s plans to introduce a congestion charge for crossing the local authority boundary from East Renfrewshire and a toll on the Clyde Tunnel are completely unacceptable.
“My Eastwood constituents would be unfairly charged every time that they entered Glasgow by car for work, university, college, family, social and other reasons.
“In effect, on any visit to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for essential medical care, Eastwood residents would be charged for crossing the city boundary.
"If every other local authority followed Glasgow’s example, we would effectively have a series of custom posts all over Scotland with people being charged every time that they crossed a city or council boundary, anywhere in the country.
"This would be a disaster for the economy and a completely unrealistic and unfair burden on motorists.
“The Transport Secretary needs to get round the table with her SNP colleagues in Glasgow City and urge the councillors to ditch the plans.”
