Mr. Alan WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) by what date at the rate currently envisaged for 1992 under the current assumptions indicated in the oral statement by the Minister of State,Official Report, 14 January, column 644, payment for the Severn bridge will be completed; and what annual toll income would be in the final year at constant prices;
(2) on the basis of current assumptions about traffic growth on the second Severn bridge and toll levels for 1992 indicated in the oral statement by the Minister of State on 14 January, Official Report, column 644, what at constant prices, is the forecast annual income from tolls for each year from 1992 until the bridge is paid for.
§ Mr. Chope[pursuant to his answer, 15 April 1991, c. 2–3]: The costs of the two Severn bridges, including the outstanding deficit on the existing Severn bridge, are due to be paid by the end of the concessionaire's tolling period. 215W If the concession begins on 1 January 1992, then, on the basis of the concessionaire's traffic forecasts and the tolling regime for 1992 and subsequent years set out in the Severn Bridges Bill, it would end on 30 June 2013.
On these assumptions, the concessionaire's forecast toll revenues, in 1989 prices, are as follows:
£ million 1992 29.6 1993 32.4 1994 35.4 1995 38.8 1996 39.7 1997 40.6 1998 41.6 1999 42.6 2000 43.7 2001 44.6 2002 45.6 2003 46.6 2004 47.6 2005 48.7 2006 49.7 2007 50.8 2008 518 2009 52.9 2010 54.0 2011 55.1 2012 562 2013 28.6