§ 13. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Transport the basis of his estimate that it will take about twenty years to repay the money advanced towards the cost of the Dartford-Purfleet Tunnel and to abolish tolls.
§ Mr. MarplesIn their evidence before the House on 3rd April, 1957, during the passage of the Dartford Tunnel Act, 1957, the promoters, the Essex and Kent County Councils, estimated that an annual toll revenue of £1 million could be raised and that this would enable the advances made towards the cost of the tunnel to be amortised in twenty years.
§ Mr. DoddsCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether the standard of tolls has yet been decided and, if not, how soon this is to be expected?
§ Mr. MarplesThe standard of tolls has not yet been decided and the House will know as soon as it has, because I think it will need legislation. The main point about tolls is to try to obtain some simplified rate of tolls in order to help in their automatic and semi-automatic collection.