Monday 18th November 2002

Toll Road Takings Down

Low takings, but congestion reduced

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[mondeoman]

A success for teh anit-car brigade, but how about the local traders? Were any traffic surveys carried out before this was put in place, cos if there are 50% less people coming into the town because of this, you can bet that they wont be happy bunnies.

[jc8542]

So they are making £5000 a week off of the charges and now they aren't planning to supply a bus service... So which slush fund will this £5000 a week go into??

[p7ulg]

Was the scheme introduced to money or reduce traffic,sorry you can't have both!

[[e-mail]]

Before everyone starts ranting about this "toll road" being anti-car. It isn't actually the big deal that the phrase toll road makes it sound like.

It is only a very small area of Durham that is covered by the charge. If you look at the map on this page:

www.rsaibis.dundee.ac.uk/MEETINGS/Durham2001/Maps.html

the area covered by the toll is just the short white road in the centre that runs past the castle and cathedral and is less that half a mile long. In most city centres it would have been pedestrianised (spelling!) long ago.

[tvrgaas]

Before everyone gets too heated take a look at the extent of the scheme. I went to Uni in Durham (many years ago) and from the pictures it appears to be the single road (Saddler St) down the peninsular to just the Market Square, Cathedral and some colleges (Halls). Most people would park in the car parks off the A690 which is NOT part of the scheme. So only a few rich students at Castle and the Dean would be using it 10-4?

www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=427250&Y=542250&A=Y&Z=1

Edit to say Must Type faster!


>> Edited by tvrgaas on Monday 18th November 11:12

[mondeoman]

[e-mail] said: Before everyone starts ranting about this "toll road" being anti-car. It isn't actually the big deal that the phrase toll road makes it sound like.

It is only a very small area of Durham that is covered by the charge. If you look at the map on this page:

www.rsaibis.dundee.ac.uk/MEETINGS/Durham2001/Maps.html

the area covered by the toll is just the short white road in the centre that runs past the castle and cathedral and is less that half a mile long. In most city centres it would have been pedestrianised (spelling!) long ago.

So why not just pedestrianise it then? Or is that just too simplistic?

[tvrgaas]

mondeoman said:

So why not just pedestrianise it then? Or is that just too simplistic?

There needs to be access through Market Square to Palace Green, Catherdal and Colleges, the side roads (and very old bridges) are closed, except for deliveries etc.

[skittle]

because you cant make money out of it, unless then put up those gates they use at swimming pools etc and charge pedestrians a £1 a go

Now theres a thought

[Froth]

It's obvious why less people are using the road because they've basically closed the road to everyone except the people for whom money is no object.

Imagine if you used that road every day, you wouldn't just pay up every day you'd be forced to find another route. This whole thing is the first step on a road-closing scheme in line with the "lets get rid of cars" motto of the government

[wolosp]

p7ulg said: Was the scheme introduced to money or reduce traffic,sorry you can't have both!

Exactly! Same will happen if Motorway tolls are introduced, then there will be complaints that drivers aren't playing the game and are using other routes through towns or using public transport instead.