Orders of the Day — Severn Bridge

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 1 December 1964.

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Photo of Mr Charles Loughlin Mr Charles Loughlin , Gloucestershire West 12:00, 1 December 1964

That is perfectly true. I do not want to pursue the matter because it is not germane to my case, but in fairness to the Committee, and because it will be going on the record, I respectfully submit that it is in order when talking about tolls which will be applied to the Servern Bridge to make one's comparisons, provided that one does not spend too great a time on the point one is making. The only toll bridge of which I have personal experience is that at Selby, to which my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, West has often referred. If there is anyone who will say that that is a bridge, his concept of a bridge is different from mine.

The Severn Bridge just touches my constituency and will undoubtedly provide a tremendous improvement in transport communications in the area. Why in this age we should be considering imposing on transport users charges which would be more in keeping with the 17th and 18th centuries, I do not know. As the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West has said, we are continuing the policies of the previous Government in this respect, but we have expressed ourselves in no uncertain terms about those outdated and outmoded policies.

Some of the tolls on motor vehicles, especially those engaged in trade, will be an onerous burden in certain respects. If transport costs for the people of the Forest of Dean are increased, that will be unfortunate for an area facing difficult employment problems. Transport costs may be cheapened, but it is incumbent on the Government now to state clearly what is in their minds.

My area is faced not only with the closure of two pits with 720 redundancies, but with the closing down of an A.F.I. factory with 850 employees. The A.E.I. is then to have Government assistance to expand at Birtley. If new employers considering moving into the area are to be faced with additional transport costs, it will be extremely difficult for me or the Board of Trade to persuade them to come to the area.

I know that some of my right hon. Friends have indicated a degree of irritation that I should have the temerity to get up at this time of night, but I am bothered not about the time, but about looking after the people who sent me here to represent them. I am not sure about What the Government propose to do about tolls on vehicles. All in- dustrialists and traders in my constituency are faced with possible additional transport costs—I do not say that transport costs will be increased—as a consequence of the policy which the Government are now pursuing.

It is very important, when we invite employers to come into a constituency to provide work—and some have already come in mine, to some extent in consequence of efforts I have made here on the Floor of the House—not to present them with a situation in which their transport costs render them uncompetitive. So I should be failing in my duty if I did not rise to speak on this matter, even though the hour is near to midnight.

On principle I am opposed to levying tolls on bridges. It is a retrograde step. It is the sort of thing I expect from right hon. and hon. Gentlemen on the other side of the Committee, because I think their concept is that we should exploit any situation, and if they think they can get money from anywhere they will get it. But we on this side ought to be a little more forward-looking and progressive in our attitude, and consider that the roads of this country are used by all and sundry. We build the M1 and major motorways, and no one dreams of suggesting that because they cost an enormous amount of money we should impose tolls on the vehicles using them.

We are building, in effect, a road over the Severn. We are doing no more than building a road. If the hon. Gentleman who smiles so sweetly thinks there is anything wrong in that statement I will willingly give way to him.