Whitchurch Bridge Inquiry

In 2008 the Bridge Company announced a proposal to double the toll ceiling, then 20p for a car, in order to fund a reconstruction of the bridge that is scheduled for 2013/14. A Public Inquiry was held on the 2nd and 3rd June 2009 at the Elephant Hotel, Pangbourne, to hear evidence from the company and from objectors. Please refer to the Whitchurch Parish Council's statement to the Public Inquiry  and its supporting document where the Whitchurch Bridge Company's financial reports are analysed.

Following the Inquiry, the Secretary of State for Transport approved the proposals in October 2009 and on the 26th October the toll for cars doubled to 40p. In response to the objections made by the Parish Council and others the Bridge Company  gave an undertaking that the concessionary toll for card users, then 13.89p, would not exceed 20p before 1st January 2013, and would not exceed 30p thereafter unless and until another Toll Application is approved. The Company announced that there would be an increase in the concessionary toll for card users early in 2010 but had not yet decided the new rate or the date of its introduction.

On the 10th November 2009, the Parish Council wrote to the Bridge Company asking them to reconsider the previous requests to have a concessionary rate for bridge crossings that applies to Whitchurch and Goring Heath residents. Read the Parish Council's letter and the Bridge Company's reply.

The Bridge Company raised the card-user’s toll from 13.89p to 20p in a single stage on 1st March 2010, instead of doing this gradually over the period to 1st January 2013 as had been proposed at the Inquiry.

The Bridge Company wrote to the four local parish councils (Whitchurch, Pangbourne, Goring Heath and Woodcote) on the 28th January, saying that it wished to discontinue holding regular meetings with them. Whitchurch Parish Council has replied, expressing disappointment.  Read the Bridge Company’s letter and the Parish Council’s reply.

In March 2010, the Bridge Company wrote to the Bulletin and the Parish Council replied.

Documents relating to Whitchurch Bridge and the bridge inquiry are available on the Tollfreeze website. These include the 1792 and 1988 Whitchurch Bridge acts and many other documents.