BRIDGE TOLLS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 225, 17 May 1932, Page 6

BRIDGE TOLLS

TRAFFIC HELD UP TO COLLECT TWO PENCE. HALFPENNY FOR PEDESTRIANS. Imagine it! A toll bridge at one of the principal gateways to go-ahead, beautiful Bournemouth in 1932 (says a 'Daily Express' correspondent) . People held up in their motor cars for twopence, cyclists forced to pay a penny, and pedestrians a half penny — all for the privilege of crossing a little iron bridge which links Christchurch with Southbourne, Boscombe, and Bournemouth. The writer says : "I eame down to Bournemouth to see how people liked this antiquated form of levy. My motor car was held up at the foot of Tuckton bridge by old Harry Boulton — polite, but business like. It was 'tuppence, please," to cross tbe little bridge over the picturesque Stour. Harry Boulton has been taking tolls on the bridge for over eleven years. "I stood at the toll gate tbis afternoon with Harry, while he held up all and sundry with his little roll of tickets. He was fairly busy, even on this slack Wednesday afternoon, when the towns shut down for the weekly half-holiday. What upsets the tollkeeper more than anything else is that some people thing he is pocketing the toll he e.xacts. That' is far from the case. The money is pocketed by Bournemouth and Christchurch and goes to relieve the rates." The toll bridge was built twentyfive years ago, and, according to some people, it will be another fifty years before the bridge pays for itself and these irritating tolls are swept away-