THE Forth Road Bridge government loan of (pounds) 14.35m which funded its construction 30 years earlier, was paid off at the end of 1993. A final cheque for more than (pounds) 4.25m discharged the debt. The story should end, ''And since then no charge has been made for vehicles crossing the bridge''. But no. The debt has disappeared but the tolls go on. So why is that?

Helen Bovey,

126 Morningside Road, Edinburgh.