Tolled Crossings and Regional Connectivity

Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Taiwo Owatemi.)

Meur ras, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am pleased to have secured a debate on this issue, which I have campaigned on consistently since becoming the Member of Parliament for South East Cornwall, and which has existed for many years before my time in this House. It is an issue that I hear about daily because of its impact on almost every aspect of local life. I want to thank local residents, community groups—including the Tamar Toll action group and Safe38—previous MPs, local councillors and Tamar Crossings for their efforts to improve our local transport connectivity.

South East Cornwall is a place that bridges the old and the new. Our communities continue to bring life to historic fishing villages and welcome thousands of tourists annually, while also looking to the future, with advanced defence capabilities, artificial intelligence and digital industries, and world-leading regenerative agriculture. To fully play our part in the next decade of national renewal, we must bridge the gap, both physically and metaphorically, between Cornwall and the rest of the country. That includes the seamless integration of my communities with the new Plymouth defence deal in order to unlock opportunity in one of the poorest areas in western Europe and ensure that South East Cornwall is fully connected to the growth, security and prosperity that the deal will bring.

At its heart, this issue is about how we connect to places and services, how communities function, and how nationally significant infrastructure is sustained. It raises a fundamental question about whether our current connectivity policies reflect the lived reality in rural and coastal areas like mine and whether historical funding models still work in a modern economy.

Does the hon. Member agree that a real devolution deal, similar to those enjoyed by our Celtic cousins, must include a roads budget that is equivalent to the Cornish proportion of the strategic road network? Equating to around £95 million a year, it could easily make the Tamar toll free, at around £15 million a year, and leave further funds for urgent upgrades such as the A38 in her constituency, a Camelford relief road and—

Order. Interventions must be brief, but as it is so long before 10 pm, Members could make a speech if they so wish.

I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. I will come to that point later in my speech.

There is a clear and well-established link between transport and inequality. Research undertaken in 2019 for the Department for Transport shows that transport shapes life chances through three factors: where people live and their socioeconomic position; where opportunities such as jobs and education are located; and how accessible the transport system is in terms of cost, reliability, geography and journey time. The research also shows that transport does not affect everyone equally; experience changes due to income, location and personal circumstance. In rural and coastal areas such as South East Cornwall, transport that is affordable and reliable could expand our opportunities.

Cost is consistently identified as one of the most significant barriers to opportunity. Policies that reduce transport costs help people to access and sustain employment, particularly those on lower incomes. However, that same Department for Transport research makes clear that transport policy works best when embedded in a place-based approach that is linked to the skills, housing, employment and economic opportunities on offer locally.

South East Cornwall is shaped by rivers and coastline that define our landscape and our communities. Our connectivity depends on a number of strategic crossings that function as everyday routes to employment, education, healthcare and social connection. Those are not optional journeys; they are essential links within a tightly connected economic and social region.

What makes South East Cornwall unusual is the concentration of tolled crossings that residents rely on daily. The Tamar bridge, Torpoint ferry, Cremyll ferry, Polruan ferry and Bodinnick ferry are part of daily life. For many local residents and businesses, one or more of those crossings are used routinely, sometimes multiple times a day. The total cost is significant, and that is simply to participate in ordinary life. This has shaped my constituency for decades. It affects where people can work, which services they can realistically access and how businesses operate. Despite the scale and impact of the crossings, we still have not found a workable long-term solution.

Does my hon. Friend agree that there would also be an environmental cost to not using the crossings, because vehicles have to travel longer distances, since usually the crossings present the straight and most direct route?

My hon. Friend makes an important point about the environmental impacts, which I will come to later. Geography amplifies the pressures, and the water boundaries bring a particular problem.

For a standard car journey, it costs £3 to leave Cornwall on both the Tamar bridge and Torpoint ferry. The Cremyll ferry charges £3 per adult for a single journey, and other crossings in that area charge a similar amount. Some local resident concessions exist, but recent proposed increases in admin costs triggered significant concern, because the total amount is unaffordable for many people.

The Tamar Toll Action Group, along with myself and other MPs, called for a rethink, and there was an extraordinary meeting of local authorities. Some may argue that the prices are not extreme, but they add up quickly. I was glad that the meeting happened and that changes were considered. Average incomes in South East Cornwall are around 20% below the national median, and residents cross have to use the crossing frequently, so the costs do add up for those in the local communities.

There is clear evidence of isolation across parts of South East Cornwall and wider Cornwall. Some communities fall within recognised measures of poor accessibility in both travel time and services. Digital connectivity adds to the pressure, as broadband and mobile coverage remain inconsistent, which limits remote working, access to online services and business development. That reinforces physical isolation rather than easing it.

Digital connectivity is increasingly important alongside physical transport. Research by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport highlights the negative impacts of poor broadband on farmers, including reduced productivity, compliance challenges, and limited market access, which is really important for South East Cornwall. High-speed broadband supports economic growth, productivity and educational outcomes.

I commend the hon. Member for South East Cornwall (Anna Gelderd) on securing this debate. We have a slightly similar issue in Northern Ireland with the connectivity between Northern Ireland and the Republic. If those crossing the border to go to work come to a toll, they have to pay that toll—it is the only way to get there. If people want to go to the airport or on a tourist trip, they have to pay the toll. Does she agree that information and an easy payment system must be in place to ensure that people from all areas, especially tourists, can access these roads without undue charges? We cannot control the charges, but we have to pay them.

I agree with the hon. Member that the impacts on communities are difficult.

The situation is not a new one, and we continue to use historical funding models that reflect the priorities of their time. Over the years, there have been reviews, consultations and partial reforms, but no holistic restructure. Residents and businesses have continued to pay year after year while the underlying system remains unchanged. Elsewhere in the UK, similar situations have been resolved. Tolled crossings have been reduced, capped or removed. South East Cornwall now has a clear opportunity to act, firmly aligned with the national interest for growth across the UK.

The Tamar crossings are critical to our local economy and national defence. His Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport and supporting sites rely on a large mobile workforce and complex supply chains crossing the Tamar daily. Long-term Ministry of Defence investment depends on reliable connectivity between Cornwall, Plymouth and the wider region. Cornwall has deep ties to the armed forces. South East Cornwall has a high number of veterans and serving personnel, with almost 14% of the residents of Torpoint having served. Communities that contribute so directly to our national defence should not face barriers to their daily life. Local residents and businesses effectively support significant infrastructure, and Cornish waters are used for Navy testing and training. Twenty-three per cent of Babcock’s Devonport workforce live in South East Cornwall. As we look to the future, this connectivity must also be considered.

My hon. Friend makes the important point that regional connectivity, including tolled crossings—especially between her constituency of South East Cornwall and mine in Plymouth —is integral to our nation’s defence and our ability to carry out its taskings. Does she agree that this type of regional connectivity needs to be looked at across Departments, especially by the Ministry of Defence?

I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. This interaction between defence, regional connectivity, transport and what we are looking to achieve down in the south-west really needs cross-governmental consideration.

This goes beyond defence, with Cornwall reviving its mining heritage through the development of critical minerals, recognised through Labour’s Kernow industrial growth fund, supporting cleaner energy supplies and economic independence, and backing British business. Cornwall also has major international cultural and tourism value, from our historic landscapes and mythical legends to world-leading attractions, such as the Eden Project. Our food culture, from cream teas to Cornish pasties, has global appeal—something I have seen at first hand.

I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I thank my hon. Friend for giving way on Cornwall’s economic potential and particularly the role of critical minerals. Does she agree that in an ideal but not unimaginable world, we would have electric ferries, ideally powered by Cornish lithium batteries, which would reduce the operating costs of those ferries and therefore the subsidy effectively paid by Tamar bridge users to support that service?

My hon. Friend’s intervention goes to the heart of this question: how do we move communities like ours into the future, taking advantage of cleaner, greener and cheaper sources of energy, and bringing down costs for local residents?

The Plymouth defence deal presents a real opportunity. The tolled crossings are enabling infrastructure and backing resilience. Addressing them alongside defence investment aligns local fairness with our national priorities. Such strengths deserve an infrastructure that enables growth, rather than one that holds it back.

Cornwall is modernising, our economy is evolving and our ambitions are forward-looking. That brings me to my first three points, which are focused on improving fairness and future-proofing the Tamar crossings. First, we need to devolve the necessary powers. Current legislation limits the ability of local authorities to reform tolling structures in line with modern use. Devolving those powers would enable local decisions aligned with our national objectives. Secondly, we need grant funding to support long-term reform. Removing or reducing tolls without replacement revenue risks shifting the burden on to local authorities and council tax payers. Grant funding would recognise the national benefit and avoid unintended consequences. Thirdly, we need debt relief linked to historical financing. Existing debt structures drive continued reliance on toll income and restrict future options. Addressing this legacy debt would allow the crossings to come into the 21st century.

On the wider picture of unlocking our potential, my fourth point is on safety and resilience of the A38. This is the main road through South East Cornwall. With continued action and investment following recent safety upgrades, we can ensure that the route is even more resilient. Fifthly, we must strengthen rail resilience and access through Dawlish. Cornwall’s rail connectivity depends on that single, climate-vulnerable line. To ensure regional growth, we need a strategic rail plan and phase 6 of the Dawlish resilience programme. Finally, we must improve digital connectivity across South East Cornwall. Reliable, high-quality broadband and mobile coverage are needed throughout the area.

I call Ben Maguire.

I take up your kind invitation to make a short speech, Madam Deputy Speaker. I thank the hon. Member for South East Cornwall (Anna Gelderd) for making an excellent speech and raising this important issue.

I want to make a few brief points, particularly while we have the Roads Minister here. The national focus in recent times has been on train connectivity in the north, so I am pleased to see Cornwall, Devon and the wider south-west getting a proper share of the debate this evening. One point I want to make while the Minister is here is that National Highways does not currently contribute any maintenance moneys to the Tamar bridge, despite the fact that the bridge is a critical part of its roads network. I understand that it recently cost as much as £6 million to resurface the bridge, because the method used is complex, but not a penny spent was from National Highways; it used the tolls generated.

The hon. Member makes an important point about the lack of National Highways funding for the bridge, but does he share my delight at the £220 million investment coming into Cornwall’s roads from national Government? We are seeing record-breaking investment in our roads, but that is not to detract from the point he makes about the lack of funding for the Tamar bridge.