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CHAPTER 4 TOLL BRIDGES
1.
Introduction
1.1 This chapter provides information about traffic
levels and tolls levied on Scotland's toll bridges.
2.
Main Points
2.1 About 12 million vehicles were recorded as crossing
the Forth Road Bridge northbound in 2004. By doubling this
figure, an estimated total of around 24 million vehicles
crossed the bridge in 2004 (about 64,400 per day). The
estimated total for 2004 was 1.9% less than in the previous
year, due to weekend carriageway closures in the summer
months for planned maintenance work, but 24% higher than
the 18.9 million crossings in 1994. The tolls levied in
2004 totalled £9.6 million.
2.2 There were over 4.4 million vehicles crossing
southbound on the Tay Bridge in 2004. Doubling this figure
gives an estimate of around 8.9 million vehicles crossing
the bridge that year, or around 24,400 per day, more than
in any previous year. The estimated total for 2004 was 2.8%
more than the previous year and 24% above the figure for
1994. The tolls levied in 2004 totalled £3.6 million.
2.3 About 10 million vehicles crossed the Erskine Bridge
in 2004 (about 27,400 per day), more than any previous
year. There was an increase of 3.6% over the previous year
and 46% more than in 1994. The tolls levied in 2004
totalled over £5.6 million.
2.4 The Skye Bridge had 769,000 vehicle crossings in
2004 prior to the removal of the tolls on 21 December. This
represented an average of around 2,200 per day, more than
in any previous year. The total was about 1.7% more than
the figure for the whole of the previous year. A total
of £4.4 million was levied in tolls.
3.
Notes and Definitions
3.1 The Forth Road Bridge was opened to traffic on
4 September 1964, the Tay Bridge on 18 August 1966, the
Erskine Bridge on 2 July 1971 and the Skye Bridge on
16 October 1995.
3.2 From 1 June 1991 one way tolls were introduced for
Tay Bridge southbound crossings. Northbound vehicles are no
longer counted.
3.3 From 1 September 1997, one-way tolls were introduced
for Forth Road Bridge northbound crossings. Southbound
vehicles are no longer counted.
3.4 From 1997 onwards, figures for the Erskine Bridge
have been collected directly from the bridge and do not
include any adjustments for violations
etc. This change affects the total by less
than 0.5%. Prior to 2004, the figures for crossings and
tolls levied on the Erskine Bridge are for financial years
-
e.g. the "2003" figure relates to the period
from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004. From 2004, the
"crossings" and "tolls levied" figures shown are for
calendar years.
3.5 Tolls were removed from Skye Bridge on 21 December
2004, therefore the 2004 figures cover only the period
before that date.
3.6 The "
average tolls" shown in the table were calculated
by dividing the total amounts of tolls levied by the total
numbers of recorded crossings (the latter including
recorded crossings by vehicles which were exempt from
paying the tolls).
3.7 The "constant price" figures for tolls levied and
average tolls were calculated by adjusting for general
inflation using the Retail Prices Index.
4.
Sources
4.1 The Forth Road Bridge is owned and operated by the
Forth Estuary Transport Authority (
FETA) whose members are drawn from City
of Edinburgh, Fife, Perth & Kinross and West Lothian
Councils.
FETA was established in April 2002 and
replaced the former Forth Bridge Joint Board as the
authority with full responsibility for the running of the
Bridge. It provides the statistics to the Scottish
Executive.
4.2 The Tay Bridge is owned and operated by the Tay Road
Bridge Joint Board whose members are drawn from Dundee
City, Fife and Angus Councils. The Board has full
responsibility for the running of the Bridge, and provides
the statistics to the Scottish Executive.
4.3 The Erskine Bridge is a trunk road bridge and is the
responsibility of the Scottish Ministers.
4.4 Tolls were removed from Skye Bridge on 21 December
2004. The Executive, as a trunk road authority, took over
formal responsibility for the Bridge from 1 January 2005.
Until 21 December 2004 Skye Bridge was operated under a
Private Finance Initiative concession by Skye Bridge
Limited, which provided the statistics to the Scottish
Executive.
5.
Further Information
5.1 For further information on toll bridges phone Lynne
Duff of the Scottish Executive Roads Policy and Group
Finance Division (tel: 0131 244 7270).
Figure 4.1 Vehicle crossings
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