§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Minister of Transport (1) what is the estimated number of vehicles which will use the Humber bridge, per day, taking early 1981 as the date for its opening;
(2) what proposals he has to ensure that the debt burden of the Humber bridge does not fall on the ratepayers of Glanford, Hull and Beverley;
(3) what is the estimated expected operating loss, year by year, for the Humber bridge from 1981 to 1991; and if he will make a statement about the funding of this loss.
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§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeTraffic levels and operating losses in the early years will depend on the level of tolls. My right hon. Friend will decide whether or not to confirm the Humber Bridge board's proposals when he receives the inspector's report on last week's public inquiry.
The Humber Bridge Act 1971 allows the board to capitalise interest payments for up to 13 years from the opening of the bridge. It is premature to consider the position of local ratepayers thereafter.
1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 CAPITAL DEBT EXTINGUISHED (a) absolute (£ million) outturn prices — 1,262.1 — — — — June 1979 prices (estimate) — 4,081.6 — — — — (b)per capita (£) outturn prices — 4,582.0 — — — — June 1979 prices (estimate) — 14,817.0 — — — — REVENUE SUPPORT (including passenger, pensions and other grants) (a) absolute (£ million) outturn prices 145.0 76.3 73.8 71.7 105.2 145.0 June 1979 prices (estimate) 494.9 264.8 223.0 198.3 268.8 347.8 (b) per capita (£) outturn prices 457.0 277.0 270.0 272.0 411.0 580.0 June 1979 prices (estimate) 1,559.0 896.0 816.0 751.0 1,050.0 1,391.0 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 (estimate) CAPITAL DEBT EXTINGUISHED (a) absolute (£ million) outturn prices — 188.7 — — — — June 1979 prices (estimate) — 309.7 — — — — (b) per capita (£) outturn prices — 750.0 — — — — June 1979 prices (estimate) — 1,231.0 — — — — REVENUE SUPPORT (including passenger pensions and other grants) (a) absolute (£ million) outturn prices 309.4 452.2 435.2 449.1 524.4 672.3 June 1979 prices (estimate) 645.7 742.0 623.5 565.7 599.1 672.3 (b) per capita (£) outturn prices 1,209.0 1,797.0 1,787.0 1,871.0 2,156.0 2,746.0 June 1979 prices (estimate) 2,523.0 2,949.0 2,560.0 2,357.0 2,463.0 2,746.0 The "per capita" figures are based on numbers of all the British Railways Board's employees at the end of the calendar year.