Toll Bridges And Tunnels

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will list in the Official Report those publicly-owned toll bridges and tunnels in England over or under river estuaries, showing for the past 10 years the toll for each class of vehicle, the accumulated capital debt and annual running costs of each tunnel and bridge for each of the past 10 years and the

					Accumulated capital debt	Total annual running costs
1968–69	…	…	…	…	£14,966,160	£1,186,493
1969–70	…	…	…	…	£15,286,072	£1,258,794
1970–71	…	…	…	…	£15,616,717	£1,312,898
1971–72	…	…	…	…	£15,905,484	£1,408,946
1972–73	…	…	…	…	£16,171,126	£1,404,448
1973–74	…	…	…	…	£16,920,346	£1,596,997
1974–75	…	…	…	…	£17,942,264	£1,811,227
1975–76	…	…	…	…	£19,660,716	£2,339,719
1976–77	…	…	…	…	£21,132,792	£2,686,082
1977–78	…	…	…	…	£23,701,320	£3,165,399
1978–79	…	…	…	…	Not available	Not available

If traffic flows remained at their 1979 levels and inflation declined to a long term rate of 5 per cent. tolls would have to be increased to about 27p for cars and 54p for lorries, to clear the accumulated debt within the orginally agreed debt

		Motor cycles	Motor cars	Goods vehicles	Buses and coaches
Dartford tunnel	…	15p	35p(70p with caravan or trailer)	35p for up to 30 cwt unladen weight	35p not exceeding 14 seats
				55p for over 30 cwt unladen weight	55p not exceeding 28 seats
				85p for vehicles with more than 2 axles	85p exceeding 28 seats
Mersey tunnels	…	15p	30p	30p for up to 3 tons unladen weight	70p
				70p for over 3 tons unladen weight
Tyne tunnel	…	10p	20p	20p for up to 30 cwt unladen weight	20p not exceeding 14 seats
				50p for over 30 cwt unladen weight	50p exceeding 14seats
Tamar bridge^*	…	10p	30p	30p for unladen weight not exceeding 25 cwt	30p for vehicles licensed to carry 8 people
				40p for over 25 cwt but not exceeding 2 tons unladen weight	£1·40 for vehicles licensed to carry more than 8 people
				80p for laden weight exceeding 2 tons but not exceeding 7 tons unladen weight
				£1·40 for unladen weight exceeding 7 tons
^* Tolls levied in one direction only—i.e. from Cornwall to Plymouth

amount by which tolls, at current prices and assuming constant traffic flows, must be increased to pay off the accumulated debt over the originally agreed debt period.

The only tolled crossing for which I am responsible is the Severn bridge. Toll charges were 5p for motor cycles and 12½p for all other vehicles from its opening in 1966 until 1973. From 1973 until August 1979 toll charges were 5p for motorcycles and 12p for all other vehicles. Since 29 August 1979 toll charges have been 10p for motorcycles, 20p for cars and other vehicles not exceeding 30 cwt.—unladen weight—and 40p for all other vehicles.The following table shows the accumulated capital debts and annual running costs:period. It is my policy to raise tolls as necessary to do so.Other tolled estuarial crossings are the responsibility of the appropriate authorities. The latest authorised tolls are, however, as follows:

Volume 975: debated on Tuesday 4 December 1979