Toll Roads and HOV lanes

steeljack · 29-01-2011, 07:43

was surprised to see that the UK had Toll Roads, how many of them do you have ?
BBC News - M6 Toll road prices set to increase say owners

so how do Accy web users feel about these things, pro or against ? seems to me if I pay my vehicle fees i should be allowed to use any and all roads , same with bridges , anything built with public funds and on public land should be toll free as part of the national infrastructure .

Here in California we have some lanes on the freeways/motorways designated as HOV lanes , high occupancy vehicle lanes during the morning and afternoon commute hours , meaning each car has to have a minimum of 2 or 3 occupants or you get a ticket .. something which gets my goat.
How would Accy-web users who use the local motorway feel if they were told there had to be 2 or 3 occupants in the car to use the fast lane during the commute hours.
Thanks

Margaret Pilkington · 29-01-2011, 08:00

I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I think this Toll Road was a sort of pilot study........and is the only bit of motorway in the country where drivers are charged.
I know of only one other little road (and it is in Wales) where a toll is levied(5 pence per journey)........to go over a bridge built by a farmer, rather than a longer journey.

The M6 toll road does take some of the pressure off the motorway in the Birmingham neck of the woods and when we have been on coach trips (and a tight schedule) the driver has sometimes taken the iniative to use it to cut time off the journey.

I am sure that one of the coach drivers told us on one journey that the road had paid for itself and what was now being made was profit...and a bit of maintenance money.

I think that British drivers who pay road tax should be allowed to use all roads without hindrance, but foreign HGV drivers should be made to pay to use the UK Roads.....though I am not sure how you would administer this......I will go away and think about it.

cashman · 29-01-2011, 08:50

think british drivers in the main would react like the spanish in southern spain, they introduced a toll road n hardly anyone uses it.

i sure wouldn't!

Mick · 29-01-2011, 09:01

Not sure but i thought you had to pay to cross the Humber Bridge near Hull ?

Neil · 29-01-2011, 09:04

They don't use 100% of road tax on roads so why should we be charged more for driving on some roads/bridges?

garinda · 29-01-2011, 09:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick

Not sure but i thought you had to pay to cross the Humber Bridge near Hull ?

You also have to pay a toll to cross the Severn.

Current Toll Prices - Severn Bridge

The Essex lot always complain, when going to Wales, in Gavin and Stacey.

andrewb · 29-01-2011, 09:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick

Not sure but i thought you had to pay to cross the Humber Bridge near Hull ?

Yep.. £2.70 a time.. possibly rising to £3.00.

Boeing Guy · 29-01-2011, 09:39

Used to be a regular user of the M6 toll, about 5 years ago. It was great, quick and easy, it just ended too soon going north. That and the price always seemed to be going up.

jaysay · 29-01-2011, 10:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick

Not sure but i thought you had to pay to cross the Humber Bridge near Hull ?

Can't remember that mick, been over that bridge a few time, mind you it was quite a while ago and when you get to my age ya tend to forget

Having read later posts seems like I've lost more grey sells than I thought

DaveinGermany · 29-01-2011, 12:41

There are a few toll areas in Uk, some have been mentioned, Humber bridge, Mersey tunnels, M6 toll, but this is due to the fact it was a private investment as such & not part of the governments infrastructure. It's Business getting their investment back although I think the M6 toll is taking the mick with their price increases !

My sister lives in Coventry so when we visit we use the toll simply to miss out all the stress on the normal M6 stretch. 2009 I think we paid GBP 3, yet last year we paid GBP 5 proper annoying but as we don't have to use it on a regular basis I can live with it. If they continue to increase pricing then they'll see a downturn thereby shooting themselves in the foot through their own greed, because folk still have options & motoring is expensive enough.

As to the point by Marge P, ref HGV's, they have the Maut here for HGV's over 7.5 tonne, vignette in Austria for all transport & something similar I believe in Italy, whatever it's name it amounts to a toll. Can't say much about the other systems but the German one is fairly straightforward.

The freight firms register their vehicles, which are fitted with a box (Bar code registration), set at various intervals along the Autobahn (Motorways) are scanners which clock the Vehicles AB use, the mileage added up at a set price per km, then at the end of the month (?) set intervals, the hauliers receive the bill for said Vehicle. So that they aren't disadvantaged any other HGV's from other Countries crossing the German Borders have to buy a tag from Garages etc for use in their Vehicle which works on the same principle.

There are good & bad points, raised revenue for a start, but higher prices in the shops to cover the extra cost to the hauliers, foreign HGV's don't get away with undercutting the "Home" freight firms, but more HGV traffic on smaller roads to avoid the charges. The Government said they'd look at the situation of the "detourists" if the need arose.

http://www.roadtraffic-technology.co...ects/lkw-maut/

vera · 29-01-2011, 13:29

There is a toll road near me, which goes nearly to Murcia Airport. It cost, a few weeks ago, 12.75Euros, about £10, each way, and apparently, hardly anybody uses it. The majority of people travelling to Murcia usually use the longer route, which is free.

Busman747 · 29-01-2011, 17:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

You also have to pay a toll to cross the Severn.

Current Toll Prices - Severn Bridge

The Essex lot always complain, when going to Wales, in Gavin and Stacey.

I always have a quiet chuckle when reminded of the Severn Bridge tolls, isn't it ironic that motorists are charged to travel into beautiful Wales - but it is free to enter England via the bridge. Lets face it, who would pay to get into this country?

As for the M6 Toll, do not forget that apart from maintenance, wages must be paid to all the toll staff (24 hour) and their Managers, the General Managers, the overall Manager that manages the General Manager of the Managers, the shareholders, along with the "partners" that initially invested - and of course, the retirement fund of the various Birmingham councillors. Thats a lot of outgoing money so the message must be: Use the toll and support the fatcats

garinda · 29-01-2011, 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busman747

I always have a quiet chuckle when reminded of the Severn Bridge tolls, isn't it ironic that motorists are charged to travel into beautiful Wales - but it is free to enter England via the bridge. Lets face it, who would pay to get into this county?

They always say it's racist on Gavin and Stacey, when the Essex mob visit Barry.

Not far wrong.

Free prescriptions, free care for the elderly, no increase in student tuition fees.

No wonder their bleedin' well singing in the valleys.

Yaki da.

JCB · 29-01-2011, 19:41

There used to be a toll bridge at Cartford on the way to Knott End . The bridge has been rebuilt , and it's free now .

Barrie Yates · 29-01-2011, 20:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCB

There used to be a toll bridge at Cartford on the way to Knott End . The bridge has been rebuilt , and it's free now .

I was going to mention Cartford Bridge - and the Cartford Arms, a truly great pub for both drinks and food.
Bristol has had multi vehicle use lanes for over 7 years now, 2 or more people to a car, and it had cameras for enforcement.