Reference
OR1883
Title
Letter to John Orlebar from Thomas Wilkes, Thomas Battison, William Faldo, Joseph Barnes.
Date free text
February 4 1728/9
Production date
From: 1728 To: 1729
Scope and Content
‘Experience having evinced to us that the Turnpike lately erected in Bedford by virtue of an Act of Parliament for Amending the Roads from Luton to Westwood Gate in this County, are of very great detriment and prejudice to the trading party of our town, the Turnpikes being contrived and placed in such a manner as to oblige multitudes of passengers and carriages to pay toll who never do or can in the least receive the benefit and advantage of the Turnpike roads because they never travel upon the same .... none have greater ...... reason to complain than the dealers in coals, a branch of trade by much the most considerable of any in our town, of which it may be truly asserted there are no less than 5000 waggons trading annually to the said town ..........not above one waggon in twenty travels upon the turnpike roads till they come within the town of Bedford itself, and yet for all that they are compelled to pay toll ........ hence, and hence only, the coal trade daily dwindles and decays’
Therefore they have determined to petition Parliament this session for some redress unless some expedient can be devised meanwhile. Asking for the support of John Orlebar. Bedford, February 4, 1728/9.
Reference
Level of description
item