Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee - 19 September 2025

The Joint Committee formally approved the minutes of its 1 August 2025 meeting, with the motion moved by Councillor Candy and seconded by Councillor Rogerson. The Chairs announced a new communication plan to engage local stakeholder groups—including the Tamar Toll Action Group, Community Area Partnerships and Town and Parish Councils—by arranging briefings at least one month before future Committee meetings. Members supported the proposal and suggested that information on the Torpoint Ferry be included alongside Tamar Bridge updates, and that the most appropriate local channels be used to reach the public.

The Chief Officer of Tamar Crossings presented the General Manager’s Quarterly Report. Highlights included the on‑schedule National Highways work on the Saltash tunnel, the completion of a ferry refit and a new platform‑management system without significant traffic or revenue impact, and the appointment of a Marketing, Communications and Engagement Officer to improve community outreach. The Learning Centre received a Sandford Award, and the Programme Director for Tamar 2050 reported that an income‑optimisation study and a social‑economic impact assessment were ongoing. Stakeholder engagement was noted as increasing, with the stakeholder panel re‑activated in April 2025.

During the discussion, members raised several concerns. They noted that the previous meeting’s minutes had not been posted on the Plymouth City Council website, potentially limiting public questions. A temporary 30 mph speed limit, introduced to support nearby works, was explained as a measure that slightly lengthens journeys but steadies traffic flow. Members also expressed concern about the number of faults on the ferry Lynher II after its recent refit, to which officers replied that such post‑refit issues are normal. The aspiration for the Learning Centre to become cost‑neutral was acknowledged, with the current expense deemed acceptable given its benefits.

The Committee considered the Statement of Accounts and Audit Findings for 2024/25, moved by Councillor Wood and seconded by Councillor Parsonage, and resolved to note the audit findings and endorse the draft Statement of Accounts, subject to external audit adjustments. The Budget Monitoring 2025/26 Report highlighted that Tamar Crossings is currently spending more than it earns, creating an unsustainable deficit. Officers identified the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions (≈£100 000) as a cost driver and confirmed that no expenditure categories are off‑limits to cost‑saving initiatives, though the potential loss of sunk costs for abandoned projects will be weighed. A forthcoming workshop will examine Open Road Tolling and other cost‑saving measures, with the next meeting set to address the current and next‑year budgets to tackle the operational deficit.