Airport Drop Offs and Toll Roads
Discussion
Yesterday I dropped my eldest son at Gatwick. My route took me over the Dartford Crossing (£3.50) and after dropping him at the South Terminal (£10.00) I headed back home via the Dartford Tunnel (another £3.50).
I'm due to pick him up on his return next week and I see that for £8.00 I can use the Short Stay Car Park (for up to 30 minutes). But what's the deal with Le Crossing? Why can't that be one fee per day? Realistically, who's going to go over/under the river in Dartford more than a couple of times in a 24-hour period?
A tenner to drop off at the airport. FFS.
I'm due to pick him up on his return next week and I see that for £8.00 I can use the Short Stay Car Park (for up to 30 minutes). But what's the deal with Le Crossing? Why can't that be one fee per day? Realistically, who's going to go over/under the river in Dartford more than a couple of times in a 24-hour period?
A tenner to drop off at the airport. FFS.
From the National Highways website:
Q: Wasn’t the toll supposed to end once the bridge was paid off?
"Road charging decisions are not made by National Highways. There has always been a charge at the Dartford Crossing. Tolls were collected until 2003. Since then, a road user charge has been in place to manage high demand."
Okay then, what's the difference between a toll and a road user charge?
Q: Wasn’t the toll supposed to end once the bridge was paid off?
"Road charging decisions are not made by National Highways. There has always been a charge at the Dartford Crossing. Tolls were collected until 2003. Since then, a road user charge has been in place to manage high demand."
Okay then, what's the difference between a toll and a road user charge?
Glassman said:
Yesterday I dropped my eldest son at Gatwick. My route took me over the Dartford Crossing (£3.50) and after dropping him at the South Terminal (£10.00) I headed back home via the Dartford Tunnel (another £3.50).
I'm due to pick him up on his return next week and I see that for £8.00 I can use the Short Stay Car Park (for up to 30 minutes). But what's the deal with Le Crossing? Why can't that be one fee per day? Realistically, who's going to go over/under the river in Dartford more than a couple of times in a 24-hour period?
A tenner to drop off at the airport. FFS.
Hmm. Tricky one, this. Let's have a think.I'm due to pick him up on his return next week and I see that for £8.00 I can use the Short Stay Car Park (for up to 30 minutes). But what's the deal with Le Crossing? Why can't that be one fee per day? Realistically, who's going to go over/under the river in Dartford more than a couple of times in a 24-hour period?
A tenner to drop off at the airport. FFS.
Right.
1. Let him make his own arrangements. There is no law that says you have to drop of your - presumably grown up - son at the airport.
2. He could use public transport.
3. AI says:-
You can drop off passengers at the Long Stay car park at Gatwick Airport, and it is completely free for up to 2 hours. From there, a complimentary shuttle bus runs every 10–15 minutes and takes about 7–15 minutes to reach the terminal.
4. Go the other way round the M25. The Thames crossing at Chertsey is free.
Huh. First world problem.
A toll being a charge to use the bridge, and now its a charge to use the road, ofcourse? 
The amount of spin used by those in charge of infrastructure is insane. I still don't fully understand why I have to keep my dart-account 'topped up' with a top-up threshold of £5 and a minimum auto-top up of £10 - that in itself is a massive scam for those who use it infrequently. Just debit my card every time I use it!
I'm also surprised Dartford hasn't increased their prices more than they currently are given the charges at Blackwall/Silvertown (also due to increase). I used it yesterday, and coming North is an absolute shambles.
The amount of spin used by those in charge of infrastructure is insane. I still don't fully understand why I have to keep my dart-account 'topped up' with a top-up threshold of £5 and a minimum auto-top up of £10 - that in itself is a massive scam for those who use it infrequently. Just debit my card every time I use it!
I'm also surprised Dartford hasn't increased their prices more than they currently are given the charges at Blackwall/Silvertown (also due to increase). I used it yesterday, and coming North is an absolute shambles.
The Mad Monk said:
1. Let him make his own arrangements. There is no law that says you have to drop of your - presumably grown up - son at the airport.
2. He could use public transport.
3. AI says:-
You can drop off passengers at the Long Stay car park at Gatwick Airport, and it is completely free for up to 2 hours. From there, a complimentary shuttle bus runs every 10 15 minutes and takes about 7 15 minutes to reach the terminal.
4. Go the other way round the M25. The Thames crossing at Chertsey is free.
Huh. First world problem.
The problem being, they really start to sound like 3rd world problems tbh. 2. He could use public transport.
3. AI says:-
You can drop off passengers at the Long Stay car park at Gatwick Airport, and it is completely free for up to 2 hours. From there, a complimentary shuttle bus runs every 10 15 minutes and takes about 7 15 minutes to reach the terminal.
4. Go the other way round the M25. The Thames crossing at Chertsey is free.
Huh. First world problem.
To me, a first world problem would be choosing between a number of free and easy to get to car parks/drop off zones.
Your profile says Hertfordshire, drop him at a Thameslink station and tell him to get a Brighton train? Probably quicker and runs almost 24 hours a day.
St Albans to Gatwick is showing as £11.60 off peak single, £14.50 advance (ok for the outward, not so good for the return) or £28.90 anytime. Journey time from 65 minutes.
Obviously rail chaos, delays, overcrowding are a possibility.
EDIT: If you can’t get an off peak fare then just use contactless: £25.70. Unfortunately, although Thameslink runs 24 hours during the week, it seems it doesn’t run on Sunday morning, or at least yesterday morning!
St Albans to Gatwick is showing as £11.60 off peak single, £14.50 advance (ok for the outward, not so good for the return) or £28.90 anytime. Journey time from 65 minutes.
Obviously rail chaos, delays, overcrowding are a possibility.
EDIT: If you can’t get an off peak fare then just use contactless: £25.70. Unfortunately, although Thameslink runs 24 hours during the week, it seems it doesn’t run on Sunday morning, or at least yesterday morning!
Edited by alangla on Monday 13th July 09:01
The Mad Monk said:
1. Let him make his own arrangements. There is no law that says you have to drop of your - presumably grown up - son at the airport.
2. He could use public transport.
Ooh who woke Mr Grumpy up?! 2. He could use public transport.
I like taking my daughters places if they need a lift. It enables me to have an uninterrupted catch up chat with them.
Public transport serves the masses but at times it doesn't work for the minority. It's 30 minutes for me to drive to Gatwick, or else the only option is a train into Central London and then a train out again - minimum 2 hours door to door.
The Mad Monk said:
Hmm. Tricky one, this. Let's have a think.
Right.
1. Let him make his own arrangements. There is no law that says you have to drop of your - presumably grown up - son at the airport.
2. He could use public transport.
3. AI says:-
You can drop off passengers at the Long Stay car park at Gatwick Airport, and it is completely free for up to 2 hours. From there, a complimentary shuttle bus runs every 10 15 minutes and takes about 7 15 minutes to reach the terminal.
4. Go the other way round the M25. The Thames crossing at Chertsey is free.
Huh. First world problem.
1. He'll be 18 in October. Right.
1. Let him make his own arrangements. There is no law that says you have to drop of your - presumably grown up - son at the airport.
2. He could use public transport.
3. AI says:-
You can drop off passengers at the Long Stay car park at Gatwick Airport, and it is completely free for up to 2 hours. From there, a complimentary shuttle bus runs every 10 15 minutes and takes about 7 15 minutes to reach the terminal.
4. Go the other way round the M25. The Thames crossing at Chertsey is free.
Huh. First world problem.
2. Some of his teammates using the train were late because of delays.
3. Great, but might be a challenge for some passengers.
4. Potential fuel saving of a few pence, but it's the time saving they're milking us for.
Glassman said:
1. He'll be 18 in October.
2. Some of his teammates using the train were late because of delays.
3. Great, but might be a challenge for some passengers.
4. Potential fuel saving of a few pence, but it's the time saving they're milking us for.
1. So, by some measures he is adult.2. Some of his teammates using the train were late because of delays.
3. Great, but might be a challenge for some passengers.
4. Potential fuel saving of a few pence, but it's the time saving they're milking us for.
2. Catch an earlier train. Use bus or coach.
3. I don't think it would be much of a challenge for a 17 year old.
4. So, you agree?
vikingaero said:
Glassman said:
A tenner to drop off at the airport. FFS.
Most airports now charge a drop off fee. So many airports in the UK are in foreign/PE ownership who are looking at every which way to gouge consumers. It's the scourge of modern scum capitalism. I just find it all very tiring, but I guess no one is forcing one to use their services.
You'd be stupid to rely on a train to get to Gatwick to catch a flight - or to get home if you are arriving. I've landed at Gatwick three times intending to catch a train to Reading & EVERY time there's been no train service - once there was no indication of when services would resume, another it just said "no trains for the next 2 hours". I had to book an Uber to get back.
Mr Pointy said:
You'd be stupid to rely on a train to get to Gatwick to catch a flight - or to get home if you are arriving. I've landed at Gatwick three times intending to catch a train to Reading & EVERY time there's been no train service - once there was no indication of when services would resume, another it just said "no trains for the next 2 hours". I had to book an Uber to get back.
At least with the train your travel insurance should cover missed departure. They start to get iffy if you use other methods of transport.It feels like every time you leave the house you are subject to being preyed upon for money, park over a line, get fined, drop off at an airport pay, go marginally over a speed limit, a fine, edge into a bus lane, a fine, cat a light a bit late, a fine. Generally most are easy to avoid but its constant .
We need some order to things, I get that but it does feel like its set up to fine folk rather than just pay a charge to use a service.
I always end up picking up and dropping off at Manchester, am at least set up on their system that now just collects the fee automatically, its annoying and expensive but it is at least easy, our local council love to fine you for parking despite the machines often not working properly or at all. Nothing like standing in the rain whilst a crap machine has a good old ponder about collecting 70p on your card, no better in the sun as an LCD screen behind a weathered clear plastic cover is impossible to read. Its not the money, its the time when you are just nipping in to get bread and milk.
Went down the M6 Toll on Saturday, £11.60 now, avoided it on the way back, when you think how much time it actually saves its not much, Google maps sent me another way that was actually quicker, I earn decent money but when you weigh up how long, after tax, pension, NI, bills, fuel, food etc you have left and how much of your working month you have to work to earn that and have it spare, the equation doesn't really add up so going to avoid it in future, at £5 its a no brainer, but it seems to go up every time I go through. Friday afternoon may be worth avoiding, last time there was a wedding going on and massive procession of supercars stopping and generally arsing about.
We need some order to things, I get that but it does feel like its set up to fine folk rather than just pay a charge to use a service.
I always end up picking up and dropping off at Manchester, am at least set up on their system that now just collects the fee automatically, its annoying and expensive but it is at least easy, our local council love to fine you for parking despite the machines often not working properly or at all. Nothing like standing in the rain whilst a crap machine has a good old ponder about collecting 70p on your card, no better in the sun as an LCD screen behind a weathered clear plastic cover is impossible to read. Its not the money, its the time when you are just nipping in to get bread and milk.
Went down the M6 Toll on Saturday, £11.60 now, avoided it on the way back, when you think how much time it actually saves its not much, Google maps sent me another way that was actually quicker, I earn decent money but when you weigh up how long, after tax, pension, NI, bills, fuel, food etc you have left and how much of your working month you have to work to earn that and have it spare, the equation doesn't really add up so going to avoid it in future, at £5 its a no brainer, but it seems to go up every time I go through. Friday afternoon may be worth avoiding, last time there was a wedding going on and massive procession of supercars stopping and generally arsing about.
I have posted about the Dartford Crossing before.
A lot of people think they know what goes on there, but a little reminder, that is basically a government car tax to use a crossing that was paid for many years ago and is not owned by the French or the Russians, it is owned by the government and operated by your friends National Highways.
Annually it now raises about 215 million a year in revenue, and that will increase substantially as they increased the toll price by a pound for no reason whatsoever other than the increase profits. You want to see a government profit generator I give you the Dartford Crossing, no booths, hardly any staff, yet now making more money than ever before, I would expect this years revenue to be well over 250 million. The take form trucks alone must be colossal.
A lot of people think they know what goes on there, but a little reminder, that is basically a government car tax to use a crossing that was paid for many years ago and is not owned by the French or the Russians, it is owned by the government and operated by your friends National Highways.
Annually it now raises about 215 million a year in revenue, and that will increase substantially as they increased the toll price by a pound for no reason whatsoever other than the increase profits. You want to see a government profit generator I give you the Dartford Crossing, no booths, hardly any staff, yet now making more money than ever before, I would expect this years revenue to be well over 250 million. The take form trucks alone must be colossal.
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