1769 Swinford UK toll bridge sold for $1.8m (1.08m pounds)

The Swinford toll bridge in Oxfordshire England sold today at auction in London for about $1.8m (1,080,000 pounds). The charming old stone arch bridge over the upper Thames located just west of the university city of Oxford is heavily used for its two narrow lanes  - over 10,000 vehicles average per day, so there is a good potential toll revenue stream. But the bridge's legal setting is an embodiment of English Eccentricity. On the plus side of the eccentricity its revenues are exempt from taxation of all kinds.

On the negative side of English eccentricity the state controls toll rates and they are presently five pence (8 cents) for cars, 10p (17c) per axle for 'lorries' (trucks).

When the bridge opened in 1769 the toll was four pence, enough then to provide some serious income to the Earl of Abingdon who had offered to build the bridge out of his own pocket in return for a toll charter from King George III.

The toll charter was granted to the Earl and "his Heirs and Assigns for ever".

The toll in 1769 was four pence for any "Coach, Chariot, Berlin, Hearse, Chaise, Chair, Calash, Waggon, Wain, Dray, Cart, Carr or any other Carriage whatsoever, with Four Wheels”

The bridge replaced a ferry unpopular because of backups.

The 1767 toll charter stated that with the Earl's construction of the bridge "many Mischiefs and Inconveniences will be remedied, and great Advantages accrue to the Publick”.

Trouble is the government's control over toll rates has caused all those Mischiefs and Inconveniences to reappear since the revenue stream of $320k/year (195,000 pounds) won't allow modern free-flow toll collection technology to be installed.

It barely covers the cost of toll collectors and routine maintenance.

As they would have put it in George III's time lifting of toll rates to real levels would "allow great Advantages to accrue to the Publick."

But some backward locals in recent weeks wanted the Oxfordshire county council to buy the bridge and end tolls completely!

Of course the county didn't have the money to either buy, let alone maintain the bridge.

Besides the extra traffic from detolling would have worsened the backups, or Tailbacks as they're called in the Old County, aggravating those Mischiefs and Inconveniences of which Geo. 3 wrote.

His Royal Highness may have screwed up relations with his Colonies across the Atlantic but he was no dummy on Toll Bridges.

He would have said wisely to those who want free rides across the Thames: "Then go build Ye Self a Bridge."

see earlier report:

http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/4459

TOLLROADSnews 2009-12-03