§ Mr. Craigenasked the Minister of Transport if he will list the toll bridges in England and Wales, the current toll charges, the number of employees and outstanding debt charges.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe only toll bridge for which my right hon. Friend is directly responsible is the Severn bridge, for which the information requested is as follows:
Current Tolls Motorcycles 10p Motor cars and light vans 20p Heavy lorries, buses and coaches 40p Number of employees—47 (including 3 part-time) Outstanding debt at 31 March 1979 £25,932,014 There are also a number of other tolled bridges in England. Four of these are publicly owned: the Itchen bridge, the Middlesbrough transporter bridge, the Tamar bridge and the Humber bridge, which will be opened early next year. For these, the only information readily 461W available is their current toll charges, which are attached:
Itchen bridge Between 6 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. Between 9.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. and midnight Motor cycles and invalid cehicles 5p 5p Cars and light vans with or without trailer 20p 15p Buses and light commercial vehicles 30p 30p Heavy commercial vehicle with not more than 2 axles £1.20p £1.20p Other heavy commercial vehicles whose unladen weight exceeds 3 tons £10 £10 Between midnight and 6 a.m. no tolls are charged.
I understand that these tolls will be revised with effect from Monday 17 November.
Middlesbrough transporter bridge Pedestrians and bicycles 4p Motor cycles 8p Cars and light goods vehicles up to 30 cwt unladen or 3 laden weight 27p Trailers drawn by vehicles in previous category 22p Vehicles exceeding 30 cwt unladen weight and exceeding 3 tones laden weight 63p
Tamar bridge Tolls are only charged in one direction (i.e. from Cornwall to Plymouth). Motor cycle with sidecar and 3-wheeled cars 8p Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 25 cwt unladen weight, buses and coaches licensed to carry not more than 8 people 30p Goods vehicles exceeding 25 cwt but not exceeding 2 tons unladen weight 30p Goods vehicles exceeding 2 tons but not exceeding 7 tons unladen weight 80p Goods vehicles exceeding 7 tons unladen weight, bus or coach licensed to carry more than 8 people £1.40p
Hamber bridge I understand the Board intends to charge tolls as follows: Motor cycles 50p Cars and light vans £1 Light commercial vehicles, minibuses and cars and light vans with trailers £2 Heavy commercial vehicles: 2 axles £4.50p 3 axles £6 4 or more axles £7.50p Buses and coaches £4.50 Questions on toll bridges in Wales are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.