Toll Bridges (Hansard, 10 March 1969)

§ 6. Mr. Dalyell
asked the Minister of Transport what was the revenue from tolls on the Tamar Bridge for the last two years; and what were the costs of collection as a percentage of total revenue.

§ Mr. Carmichael
I understand that the gross revenue from tolls was £337,000 in 1966–67 and £342,000 in 1967–68. In each year the operating costs of collection amounted to approximately 6 per cent. of gross toll revenue.

§ Mr. Dalyell
Are there not more effective and cheaper ways of raising revenue than by charging tolls in development areas?

§ Mr. Carmichael
If my hon. Friend wishes to pursue the question of collecting various forms of public revenue, it would be better for him to pursue it with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

§ Mr. Bessell
While we very much appreciate the interest taken by the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) in the bridge leading from my constituency, may I ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether he does not agree that the provision of the Tamar Bridge has considerably eased traffic congestion to and from Cornwall and that this method has proved to be a thoroughly worth-while way of building bridges?

§ Mr. Carmichael
I am pleased that the hon. Member has raised that point. One of the reasons why toll bridges are built is that they give great convenience to motoring and transport.

§ 7. Mr. Dalyell
asked the Minister of Transport how many men are employed as collectors on toll bridges in England and Wales.

§ Mr. Carmichael
154 men are employed as collectors on bridges and tunnels run by public authorities in England. Toll bridges in Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

§ Mr. Dalyell
As the Chancellor of the Exchequer told me in reply to a Question, and as the Department of Economic Affairs has made clear, this is a much more expensive way of raising money than any other form of taxation. Will my hon. Friends focus their minds on this issue?

§ Mr. Carmichael
This is the same point as was made on the previous Question. A decision was made by this House that there should be these toll bridges. The effect on the cost of collecting the revenue is reasonably modest. If my hon. Friend believes that there is a case for finding other ways of raising revenue such as that raised by the bridges, his proper course would be to take that up with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.