Swinford Toll Bridge

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Swinford Toll Bridge

Carries	B4044 road
Crosses	River Thames
Locale	Eynsham, Oxfordshire
Material	Stone
Opening date	1769
Toll	5 pence per car

Swinford Toll Bridge is a privately owned toll bridge south of Eynsham, England that crosses the River Thames just above Eynsham Lock.

The bridge, constructed in local stone in the Georgian style, was opened in 1769 and is one of the two toll bridges that cross the Thames, the other being Whitchurch Bridge. The Earl of Abingdon paid for its construction. The bridge is governed by its own Act of Parliament, ^[1] It allows the bridge owner to collect tolls and makes the building of bridges across the river illegal for three miles either way up or down stream from Swinford. By repute, the owners do not pay tax on the revenue from the tolls as a perquisite from King George III.

Nowadays it carries the B4044 road between Eynsham and Farmoor and charges a toll of GBP0.05 per car. Despite this small toll there is (as of 2006) a campaign to make it toll-free. Oxfordshire County Council estimates that 10,000 vehicles cross the bridge every day. The Toll collection causes significant traffic delays. An online poll in 2006 on the Witney Gazette website showed that 87.5% of voters want the tolls scrapped.

[edit] See also

Crossings of the River Thames

[edit] References

^ An Act for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from Swinford, in the County of Berks, to Eynsham, in the County of Oxford, 7 George III, c. 63. dated 1767 (Ref No HL/PO/PU/1/1767/7G3n22).