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Storm Over Tolls Brewing
Page 58
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FROM OUR PARLIAMENTARY CORRESPONDENT I F the Government decides to introduce tolls on motorways—and its thoughts will be known in a week or so—there will be a storm of protest from Labour M.P.s.
Clear warning of this was given in the Commons last week by Mr. George Strauss, a Front Bench spokesman on transport, when he asked Mr. Marples: "Would it be useful to the right honourable gentleman to know that if the final decision is in favour of tolls being imposed he will have very strong opposition from this side of the House?"
Mr. Marples—who had said he hoped to make a statement on tolls soon after the House resumes on April 11—replied blandly: "I am grateful for that warning."
A foretaste of the view some Conservative M.P.s might take of tolls came from Mr. Simon Wingfield Digby (Dorset West). When Mr. Marples was considering this question, he asked if he would regard tolls as a method of supplementing total road expenditure, and by so doing help to relieve congestion on existing roads?