§ MR. ALDERMAN SALOMONS, in moving for leave to bring in a Bill to facilitate the traffic of the metropolis and to improve the communications across the Thames by opening the present toll-bridges for the free use of the public, said, it was necessary to say little more in its support than that in a metropolis of 3,000,000 persons there were only three free bridges connecting the northern and southern parts of London. About a century ago Westminster Bridge was built, and a little while afterwards Blackfriars. London Bridge has since been rebuilt at the expense of the city, and these are the only free bridges of the metropolis. Every one knew that the northern portion of the metropolis was overcrowded, that the streets were overloaded with traffic, and that there was a difficulty in finding house accommodation, in consequence of those whose occupations or business was connected with this great City being confined to the north side of London, by the want of free bridge accommodation. No persons suffered more than the working classes from the pre- 950 sent state of things, and none would receive a greater boon from the opening of a free communication across the river to the south side, where land was to be had cheaper, and where there was room for the metropolis to spread. As it would be necessary to provide funds, he proposed to enable the Metropolitan Board of Works to levy a rate over the metropolitan area not exceeding one halfpenny in the pound for a term not exceeding twenty years. He proposed that the district in which the toll-paying bridges were placed should also be taxed to the same amount as the tax levied upon the whole metropolitan district by the Board of Works. He also proposed an additional coal tax of 1d. per ton. A fund of between £50,000 and £60,000 would thus be raised, without bearing heavily on any particular interest, which would be applied for the purpose of gradually buying all the present toll-bridges. He had taken power to enable the City of London, jointly with the Metropolitan Board of Works, to acquire Southwark Bridge. He also proposed other powers, which would enable the Government to dispose of Chelsea Bridge. The contrast between London and the city of Paris was remarkable. While London had only three free bridges, Paris had twenty-three. Seven of those had belonged to private companies; but since 1848 the municipal authorities had bought them all, for the purpose of throwing them open to the public. Waterloo Bridge was built in the very heart of London, and it was thought that the traffic would be so large as not only to pay 10 per cent to the shareholders, but also to provide a surplus fund to pay off the capital, and to enable the bridge to be thrown open to the public. So far, however, were these expectations from being realized, that the original adventurers had never received a farthing. It was now certain that the public would not in any sufficient numbers pay tolls, and that tolls acted as a deterrent to the use of bridges. Southwark Bridge, on the other hand, had been thrown open free as an experiment, and almost within two days the traffic had been increased ninefold. If the measure should pass a second time, he would ask the House to refer it to a Select Committee.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ Bill to facilitate the traffic of the Metropolis and to improve the communications across the River Thames by opening the present Toll Bridges for the free use of 951 the public, ordered to be brought in by Mr. Alderman SALOMONS, Mr. LOCKE, and Mr. JACKSON.
§ Bill presented, and read 1o, and referred to the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills. [Bill 47.]