A WIRRAL MP is taking the fight to have the Mersey Tunnel tolls scrapped to Downing Street - after we revealed how all road crossing charges in the Prime Minister's native Scotland were being axed.

In response to our front page article last week, Stephen Hesford, Labour MP for Wirral West, wrote to Gordon Brown asking for his views on our story and to look again at the possibility of scrapping tolls.

Mr Hesford is continuing his opposition to a tolls system that he believes is unfair to Wirral people.

He is also calling on the five Merseyside councils to work with Merseytravel towards securing a solution over the tolls.

Last week we revealed how the Scottish parliament had scrapped charges for the bridge crossings on the Clyde and to Skye.

In the New Year, the remaining charges for crossings on the Forth and Tay are also facing the chop.

There is also concern that the ill-fated Merseytram scheme - scrapped because of rising costs - may now be back on the drawing board providing a tramlink from Liverpool to Knowsley.

It is understood the plan is to part-fund the tram scheme with "surplus" tunnel toll cash - even though motorists are consistently told the disliked tolls are necessary to pay off debt.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Hesford points out how all of Wirral's four MPs had opposed the Mersey Tunnels Act 2004, which will see steeply rising tolls be effected "in perpetuity".

The MP has sent a copy of the Globe to Mr Brown for his consideration.

He wrote: "This latter point not only disappoints Merseyside residents, those on Wirral in particular, but also because of the 2004 Act my constituents who use the tunnels can now have their toll money used not only for the repayment of the tunnels historic capital debt, but also general Merseyside transport schemes.

"I enclose the (Globe's) article and I would be obliged if you could respond to the matters mentioned and agree to looking into the possibility of having the historic debt paid off. Perhaps this could be done in discussion with the five Merseyside local authorities and Merseytravel, the Passenger Transport Executive and tunnels operator."