Toll bridge called to account

Guangdong's audit office has been urged to disclose the financial status of the controversial Luoxi bridge to end a debate over whether it should continue to collect tolls.

Wang Zhechu, a standing committee member of the Guangdong Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said if tolls collected so far had paid for the full cost of construction, then they should cease.

'The audit office should make the accounts public,' he said.

The heavily used bridge over the Luo River in Panyu district was built in 1988 and partly funded by donations of $10 million from Hong Kong tycoon Henry Fok Ying-tung.

An audit office official said that they could not comment because the person responsible for the matter was out of town.

The office told Mr Wang last year that outstanding loans for the project stood at 96.23 million yuan. At a repayment rate of 45 million yuan every six months, the loans should have been settled at the end of this month.