§ 28. Major GLYNasked the Minister of Transport what is the total number of toll gates in England and Wales, how many of them are for bridges, what is estimated will be the cost of buying out these tolls, and how many of these tolls are owned by companies and how many by private individuals?
§ Colonel ASHLEYIn England and Wales there are 64 toll roads and 127 toll bridges As the yield of the tolls is not known, no estimate can be formed of the cost of extinguishing them. Particulars of ownership are not available.
§ Colonel DAYCan the right hon. and gallant Gentleman make inquiries as to what the yield would be?
§ Colonel ASHLEYIt is very difficult to make inquiries from all these private companies. I have no power to compel them to give me information, but I will ask them for it.
§ Brigadier-General CLIFTON BROWNIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that in a certain corporation Bill— the Scarborough Corporation Bill—permission was lately granted to erect tolls on certain roads recently bought by the corporation? Does he not consider it likely to lead to waste of public money, if tolls are allowed to be erected in some cases, while under the Roads Improvement Act power is taken by the Ministry to buy them out in other cases?