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Salmond plans to end bridge tolls Salmond plans to end bridge tolls
(about 2 hours later)
First Minister Alex Salmond is to set out plans to scrap tolls on the Tay and Forth road bridges. First Minister Alex Salmond is to set out plans to scrap tolls on the Tay and Forth road bridges as part of his programme for running Scotland.
The announcement will come at Holyrood as Mr Salmond outlines his plans for running Scotland. The SNP, which has branded the charges "unacceptable and unfair", promised to introduce a bill to abolish them within 100 days of taking office.
Bridge tolls were described as "unnacceptable and unfair" by the SNP during their recent Holyrood election campaign. Mr Salmond will set out his plans in a statement to the Scottish Parliament.
The Nationalists promised to introduce a bill to abolish them within 100 days of taking office. However, his minority administration will need to gain the support of other parties to get the proposals through.
The SNP, which has formed Scotland's first minority government, will have to build consensus across parties in order to move policies forward.
Mr Salmond will tell MSPs that plans will be brought forward for the abolition of the bridge charges, with the timescale to be set out soon after.Mr Salmond will tell MSPs that plans will be brought forward for the abolition of the bridge charges, with the timescale to be set out soon after.
He is also likely to promise early moves to block ship to ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth and to review cuts to accident and emergency services.He is also likely to promise early moves to block ship to ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth and to review cuts to accident and emergency services.
'Over the moon''Over the moon'
A spokesman for the first minister said: "The first minister's statement will be about the aims and objectives of the government.A spokesman for the first minister said: "The first minister's statement will be about the aims and objectives of the government.
"It is not a legislative programme statement, it is more of a clear setting out from the first minister, one week on from his election, on how the government intends to govern.""It is not a legislative programme statement, it is more of a clear setting out from the first minister, one week on from his election, on how the government intends to govern."
An announcement is also expected on the appointment of law officers.An announcement is also expected on the appointment of law officers.
That move will come after it emerged that the new SNP government had decided to stop inviting the lord advocate, currently Elish Angiolini, to the weekly cabinet meeting of senior ministers.That move will come after it emerged that the new SNP government had decided to stop inviting the lord advocate, currently Elish Angiolini, to the weekly cabinet meeting of senior ministers.
A spokesman for the campaign group, the National Alliance Against Tolls Scotland (Naats), said: "If the removal of the tolls is confirmed those who have campaigned many years for this will be over the moon.A spokesman for the campaign group, the National Alliance Against Tolls Scotland (Naats), said: "If the removal of the tolls is confirmed those who have campaigned many years for this will be over the moon.
"It will remove an injustice for those in Fife and on Tayside. It will also benefit the rest of Scotland, as declaring a toll free nation will be a boost to tourism and inward investment.""It will remove an injustice for those in Fife and on Tayside. It will also benefit the rest of Scotland, as declaring a toll free nation will be a boost to tourism and inward investment."