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New Roads
During the Georgian period the repair and upkeep of roads was privatised for the first time. Rather like the modern toll roads that are so common in France and the M6 tollroad near Birmingham, the Turnpike Poad was the original model. The word "turnpike" describes the toll booth at either end of the road through which the traveller had to pass and pay a toll before he could use the road. The money for the tolls was meant to pay for the upkeep of the road. It was a popular system and during the 18th century turnpike roads spread rapidly across England.
This extract from the minutes of the Turnpike from Somersham to Huntingdon gives a flavour for how they were run.
Huntingdon to Somersham Turnpike
Huntingdonshire. At a meeting of the trustees of the turnpike road leading from the town of
Present
Dr Morton – mayor
Mr Loveday
Mr Herbert
Mr Edwards
Mr Bale
Mr Sweeting
Ordered that tolls belonging to the said road be put up to lett to the best bidder upon the conditions following, that is to say,
1st That the said tolls be put up at the sum of £330 per annum to be lett to the best bidder from 10th day of August nest for 3 years the rent thereof to be paid monthly to the treasurer of the said road.
2nd That the lessee shall be at the expense of the lease Counterpart and Bond
3rd That no person shall advance less than £3 at each bidding
4th That the toll bar shall remain where it now stands and that the lessee shall have the use of the house near the bar for the purpose of collecting the tolls thereof
5th That immediately after the Biddings the hirer shall propose two persons to join with him in a bond for the due performance of the covenants in the lease who shall be accepted or refused as the majority of the Trustees at this meeting shall think proper and in case the persons proposed shall not be though sufficient surities for the tolls to be put up again and relett.
At this meeting the tolls were put up under and subject to the above conditions at £330 and William Everitt of Cambridge having advanced £3 was declared the hirer at £333 and proposed Thomas Onion of Godmanchester and John Hodson of (Dolphin?) as his suities who were accepted.
Wm Everitt (signature)
Advised that the leases be immediately prepared.
Advised that the surveyor do not lay out more than five pounds without the rider of the Purveyor.
At this meeting the Treasurers accounts were audited and when it appeared he had received £444 16s 1 3/4d and paid £183 12s 3d and that £261 3s 103/4d was due to the trustees
Morton (signed)
Sweeting
Edwards
Herbert
Bale
Loveday
From an original manuscript in the care of Huntingdon branch of the Cambridgeshire Record Office