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BRIEF SUMMARY OF BILL

A Bill that would have privatised the Tunnels for 25 years was introduced in 1999 and abandoned in 2000, after opposition from unions and others. The Bill was reintroduced without the privatisation clauses in 2001.
The main purposes are:-

(1) Tolls to be automatically increased in line with Retail Price Index. (There may be higher increases with consent of Minister.)

(2) Tolls will not have to be reduced once debts have been repaid.

(3) Tolls may be used to finance other services.

Despite strong local opposition, the Bill was passed by the Commons on 19 October 2003 and moved to the Lords.
We put in an objection called a "petition".
The Merseytravel case for the Bill and our petition against it was heard by a committee of 5 Lords on 8 and 9 March 2004. The committee let the Bill go through unamended, but with Merseytravel obliged to give some undertakings.
The Third Reading was in Lords on 28th June with David Hunt leading the opposition to it. He put up a tremendous show, but the Bill was passed 75 votes to 65 votes. With a few exceptions, it was Labour and the Liberal Democrats voting for the Bill, and the Conservatives voting against.

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