§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library the full terms of the contractual agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the Skye Bridge Company, or its parent company. [7234]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe contractual agreements between the Secretary of State and Skye Bridge Limited which set out the terms for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Skye bridge project are commercial agreements. It is therefore not appropriate that they be treated in the way requested by the hon. Member. However, the key terms of the agreement are set out in the assignation statement made under the Assignation Statement (Prescribed Information) (Scotland) Regulations 1991, which was placed in the Library in December 1992 following an earlier request from the hon. Member.
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§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will arrange for advance signs to be placed on the trunk road approaches to the Skye Bridge, indicating the level of tolls. [7236]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe levels of tolls for the Skye bridge are clearly displayed in the immediate approaches to the bridge. Signs more remote from the bridge area make it clear that the bridge is tolled. There is no reason for additional information on these signs which also convey a range of other route information.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the annual loss to the Treasury over(a) 15 years and (b) 25 years, of compensating the Skye Bridge Company, or its parent company, for removal of tolls from the Skye bridge, while retaining its maintenance responsibilities. [7235]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonNo such estimates have been made. The Skye bridge was planned and promoted as a privately financed and operated toll bridge and it will continue on that basis.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the single crossing charge for cars on all toll bridges in Scotland. [7237]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe single crossing charges on all toll bridges in Scotland are as follows:
Single car toll Regular user concession/discount Forth road bridge 40p 36p—available on purchase of 100 vouchers Erskine bridge 60p 54p—available on purchase of 50 vouchers Tay road bridge 180p n/a Skye bridge £5.20 (high season) £2.44—available on £4.30 (low season) purchase of 10 tickets 1Applies for travel north to south only; travel in other direction is untolled.