§ 2. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement on toll charges for motorways as crossing the Forth and Severn Road Bridges.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport (Mr. Michael Heseltine)No change in the practice of making toll charges at the Severn Bridge is contemplated. The Forth Bridge is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. We have not yet had time to consider the pros and cons of imposing tolls on motorways generally.
§ Sir G. NabarroI also congratulate my hon. Friend. Would he have regard to the fact that the charging of tolls on both the Forth Bridge and the Severn Bridge has been a highly successful exercise, both rewarding and lucrative, without causing delays to motorists and drivers of other vehicles? Would he consider earnestly a more widespread application of this important principle in order to promote and foster the building of new motorways?
§ Mr. HeseltineI thank my hon. Friend for his kind remarks. The use of tolls for specific projects such as the two bridges has long been policy, but the further use of tolls for the building of roads in general must be subject to the review which my right hon. Friend is now undertaking.
§ Mr. FernyhoughThe Parliamentary Secretary has just said that there is no intention of increasing the tolls on the two bridges mentioned by the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro). Can he give an assurance that that intention will apply also to the Tyne Tunnel, and that in future there will be no increase in the tolls there?
§ Mr. HeseltineIt would be helpful if the hon. Member were to put down a question specifically about the Tyne Tunnel, as it is not dealt with in the original Question.