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Tay Bridge tolls up
Page 23
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IT IS unlikely that the Tay and Forth Road Bridge Joint Boards will ever be able to meet their statutory requirement to repay their debts at the existing toll rates.
This pessimistic forecast has been given by Mr Malcolm Rifkind, the Scottish Under Secretary, who added that the ability of the boards to meet the full cost of the bridges, including the outstanding debt, depended on a number of factors in addition to toll levels. These included maintenance costs, capital expenditure and traffic levels.
Mr Rifkind recalled that the Tay Board had published proposals to increase tolls, including a rise from 25p to 30p for scheduled-buses. The period for lodging objections had expired and the Scottish Secretary was considering whether to arrange a public local inquiry into the proposals.
The Forth Board had informed him that it proposed to take no action to revise toll levels, and the Minister was considering the implications of this decision.