Each time
you drive over a bridge you probably never give it a second thought.
After all you pay your road tax so you can go anywhere, right?
 |
| Car
drivers have to weigh up the cost versus the 25 mile detour.
Since this photo was taken the cost has risen somewhat. |
Wrong!
Because try going across the River Ure near Linton-on-Ouse and you'll
get a vivid reminder that we once used to have toll booths all over
the country and to get from A to B was rarely free.
At
Aldwark they've still got the market cornered. If you can't bear
to part with your cash then you'll have a very long round trip to
the nearest bridge over the Ure. In fact you'd definitely spend
more on petrol making the detour. So how come it's still in private
hands? Well that's down to how it all began.
It
is known that there was an ancient ferry at this point on the river,
but was quoted as being "very inconvenient, dangerous and sometimes
impassable". That damning phrase appears in the Act of Parliament
in 1772 which led to the creation of the toll bridge.
 |
| The
quaint looking cottage is home to the toll keepers when they're
on duty. |
A character
called John Thomson was given the power to erect a bridge over the
Ure. He agreed to do this at his own expense on condition the bridge
was vested in him and his heirs and successors. The same Act of
Parliament granted him the right to charge those that use the bridge
and according to the company that now administers it the tolls have
only risen twice in living memory.
Believe
it or not the bridge was struck by an iceberg in the 19th century
and had to be rebuilt. Of course even then it was only designed
with small horse-drawn vehicles in mind.
 |
| Colin
collects the cash and dispenses the toll tickets. |
In
2005 each passing car had to part with 40 pence with heavier vehicles
paying more. A team of toll collectors work shifts to keep the cash
rolling in. One of the keepers, Colin, confides that he spends a
penny before clocking on so that no-one can nip past the toll booth
while he's indisposed.
As the bridge exists by law, the company that runs it is obliged
to keep it open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and it can't hike
up the charges without the consent of the Secretary of State.
 |
| Remote
as the bridge is there's a steady flow of traffic. |
Recently
the bridge surface was given a complete refit with specially imported
wood.
It can be a bit disconcerting taking a heavy van over the wooden
gangway but it can support vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes.
The
bridge owners say modern vehicles continue to cause damage to the
structure and would appeal to those that use it to show the unique
structure the respect it deserves when crossing the river.
|
The
bridge was created by an Act of Parliament in 1772.
