Forth Road Crossing

HC Deb 01 November 1956 vol 558 cc191-2W

Sir I. Clark Hutchison

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now make a statement on the Forth road crossing.

Mr. J. Stuart

The Government have now made proposals relating to the financing of the Forth Road Bridge to the Joint Board, and I understand that the Joint Board agreed at the meeting this week to recommend to their constituent authorities that an amending order should be prepared to give effect to them.

It is proposed that the constituent authorities and the Government should contribute to the capital cost of the bridge the sums of £500,000 and £4,650,000, respectively, referred to in the Order of 1947 and that the remaining part of the cost should be met in the first place from loans advanced to the Joint Board by the Government. These loans would be repayable from the proceeds of tolls.

These proposals have been put forward subject to agreement being reached on satisfactory proposals regarding the other aspects of the scheme and on estimates of costs. I expect to receive a Report on the technical discussions very shortly.