§ 32. Colonel ROPNERasked the Minister of Transport whether it is his intention to refuse grants to local authorities to free existing toll bridges; and whether grants are only to be made to assist schemes for the construction of bridges on new arterial roads?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHANo, Sir. My policy is to free perpetual tolls, and I am prepared to make grants of 75 per cent. for this purpose. In appropriate cases, however, it naturally falls to be decided whether the public interest would best be served by freeing from tolls a bridge which is inadequate for traffic needs of the neighbourhood, or whether to construct a new and adequate bridge.