Toll Bridges

HC Deb 13 February 1992 vol 203 c638W

Mr. Andrew Welsh

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the figures for the(a) annual income and cost and (b) capital debt outstanding for toll bridges in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The latest published figures for toll bridges in Scotland are as follows:

	Erskine1 1989–90	Forth 1990–91	Tay 1990–91
	£ million	£ million	£ million
Annual income (tolls revenue)	2.3	7.2	2.1
Annual cost (operating expenses including non-recurring expenditure)	0.9	3.6	22.7
Other charges	313.2	1.1	0.6
Total expenditure	14.1	4.7	3.3
Outstanding deficiency	95.5	11.0	6.9
1 There is no real debt at Erskine Bridge. The bridge was built from the funds available for trunk road expenditure in Scotland. Expenditure was borne on what is now the Roads (Scotland) Vote. However, the accounts are compiled, under Treasury direction, in such a way as to show the deficiency which would exist if the bridge had been funded by borrowing.
2 Includes £1.8 million extraordinary repairs financed from the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board's General Reserve Fund.
3 Comprises amortisation, interest and notional sinking fund advances.