HC Deb 21 February 1986 vol 92 cc370-1W
Mr. Dewar

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the accumulated deficits at the latest available date on the Forth, Tay and Erskine bridges, respectively, together with the current annual interest paid on each and the anticipated net toll income for each bridge after deduction of collection and operating costs.

Mr. Rifkind

The latest available figures for the three bridges are set out in the following table.

Accumulated deficit Current annual interest paid Total loan repayments
£ £ £
Forth road bridge (at 31 March 1985) 21,483,826 1,374,544 *505,187
Tay road bridge (at 31 March 1985)
Owed to Secretary of State 2,789,665 209,743 22,257
Owed to joint board's constituent authorities 3,357,335 216,600 34,400
Erskine bridge (at 31 March 1984) 36,960,279 4,870,223

* Equals income after deduction of operating costs, capital expenditure costs (eg resurfacing), deficit in the revenue account brought forward from 1983–84, and interest payment.

Equals income paid to Secretary of State and constituent authorities after deduction of operating costs, capital expenditure costs (nil), payment into the reserve fund (£367,000) and interest payments.

Income from the Erskine bridge, after deduction of operating costs and capital expenditure costs amounted to £588,287. After payments of interest, payment of amortisation and payment into the sinking fund, this became a loss of £6,459,901 which has been included in the accumulated deficit figure.