John Luff and John Woodford on Transport

John W: We used to have a Toll Gate in the village once upon a time. You had to pay to get into the village and that was situated down where the ‘Toll Gate’ café is now, down by the Harbour and I think it was a penny for a pedestrian and six pence for a car.

Lisa How long did that run until then?

John L: Well that belonged to … because the Southern Railway paid for the Embankment Road, so they wanted to get a few bob back.

John W: I think the Isle of Wight County Council bought them out in about the 1970s somewhen and it stopped then.

John L: But I don’t … by the time they paid the bloke who collected the money, I don’t think they had much money to go back. Especially when Sam Watkins was on there. As soon as he had enough for a pint, he was over the pub.