'Total toll system' for UK roads
Discussion
No sooner has the M6 Toll been declared as the way forward and a "choice" than they come out with this.
My opinion FWIW is to boycott toll roads, it may save you a few minutes but you will effectively be giving them your consent that you 'wish' to be charged for road use.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3317197.stm
'Total toll system' for UK roads
Tolls and congestion charging arouse strong feelings
Future plans for tolls on Britain's roads will include all roads, not just the busiest, it has been reported.
It had been suggested earlier that an in-car satellite tracking system could bill drivers for school runs and travelling on motorways at rush hour.
But a government adviser quoted in the Sunday Mirror said there would be variable charging on all roads.
The newspaper said charges could be offset by reductions in road tax and petrol duty.
Professor David Begg was told by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling to lead a committee to establish how a national congestion charging scheme would work.
The Mirror said the cost of travelling would be as low as 1.6p a mile in quiet rural areas to 16p on the most expensive routes. The scheme would require expensive satellite-tracking equipment to be fitted in all cars.
Professor Begg said: "It is now a matter of when, not if. Six months ago it was on the shelf, but Mr Darling is now very serious about it.
"The government has realised that there is only one way to reduce congestion and that does not mean trying to build a way out of it."
The government-appointed committee, which includes industry representatives, is due to report back next year.
Professor Begg said the scheme could reduce congestion by 30% and pollution by 40%.
The first toll motorway, part of the M6, opened this week, but had been billed as a one-off.
In June, Mr Darling said a national toll scheme based on satellite tracking could be a decade away, although lorries will be monitored under the scheme from 2006.
His proposals to charge school run parents and motorway users at peak times were criticised by motoring groups.
They said motorists would only accept new charges that were "revenue neutral", with the government reducing other charges correspondingly so that no extra money was made.
Last year, the government predicted traffic jams could increase by up to a fifth by the end of the decade.
Proper safeguards
The success of the congestion charge in reducing traffic in London has led to some commentators saying it is inevitable that some form of charging will be introduced nationwide.
Edmund King, of the RAC, said charges on every road were neither acceptable nor practical, but that with proper safeguards, charges on the busiest 10% of roads would be welcome.
The AA Motoring Trust warned satellite tracking was the most unpopular form of charging.
Spokesman Paul Watters said: "They don't like it because they don't think it will work, they don't like the infringement of their liberties and they think it will cost a fortune to set up.
"People can understand city charging like in London. They can understand French motorways, where you pay for a premium service. They can probably get to understand the M6 Toll.
"But tracking is too Big Brother. There is a lot of work to be done before people are convinced."
My opinion FWIW is to boycott toll roads, it may save you a few minutes but you will effectively be giving them your consent that you 'wish' to be charged for road use.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3317197.stm
'Total toll system' for UK roads
Tolls and congestion charging arouse strong feelings
Future plans for tolls on Britain's roads will include all roads, not just the busiest, it has been reported.
It had been suggested earlier that an in-car satellite tracking system could bill drivers for school runs and travelling on motorways at rush hour.
But a government adviser quoted in the Sunday Mirror said there would be variable charging on all roads.
The newspaper said charges could be offset by reductions in road tax and petrol duty.
Professor David Begg was told by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling to lead a committee to establish how a national congestion charging scheme would work.
The Mirror said the cost of travelling would be as low as 1.6p a mile in quiet rural areas to 16p on the most expensive routes. The scheme would require expensive satellite-tracking equipment to be fitted in all cars.
Professor Begg said: "It is now a matter of when, not if. Six months ago it was on the shelf, but Mr Darling is now very serious about it.
"The government has realised that there is only one way to reduce congestion and that does not mean trying to build a way out of it."
The government-appointed committee, which includes industry representatives, is due to report back next year.
Professor Begg said the scheme could reduce congestion by 30% and pollution by 40%.
The first toll motorway, part of the M6, opened this week, but had been billed as a one-off.
In June, Mr Darling said a national toll scheme based on satellite tracking could be a decade away, although lorries will be monitored under the scheme from 2006.
His proposals to charge school run parents and motorway users at peak times were criticised by motoring groups.
They said motorists would only accept new charges that were "revenue neutral", with the government reducing other charges correspondingly so that no extra money was made.
Last year, the government predicted traffic jams could increase by up to a fifth by the end of the decade.
Proper safeguards
The success of the congestion charge in reducing traffic in London has led to some commentators saying it is inevitable that some form of charging will be introduced nationwide.
Edmund King, of the RAC, said charges on every road were neither acceptable nor practical, but that with proper safeguards, charges on the busiest 10% of roads would be welcome.
The AA Motoring Trust warned satellite tracking was the most unpopular form of charging.
Spokesman Paul Watters said: "They don't like it because they don't think it will work, they don't like the infringement of their liberties and they think it will cost a fortune to set up.
"People can understand city charging like in London. They can understand French motorways, where you pay for a premium service. They can probably get to understand the M6 Toll.
"But tracking is too Big Brother. There is a lot of work to be done before people are convinced."
manek said:
Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't think the M6 toll road's a bad idea.
While the old road is still open, at least drivers have a choice.
Can't see what they are whinging about - more roads are more roads. More choice is more choice.
In the original post, the Gubbermint are obviously flying a kite to test public reaction.
More roads are better for UK economic development.
dcb said:
Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't think the M6 toll road's a bad idea.
While the old road is still open, at least drivers have a choice.
Can't see what they are whinging about - more roads are more roads. More choice is more choice.
In the original post, the Gubbermint are obviously flying a kite to test public reaction.
More roads are better for UK economic development.
Surely as we have had all our money stolen by fuel and other stealth taxes the road should just have been a new road. In my view the peacful end to this would be a total boycott of the new road or failing that the firebombing of the toll booths and the kidnap of the toll companies chief executive? Oh and shoot Begg...
It may cost 2 quid at the mo, but its in the hands of a private company and they have SAID there is NO limit to what they may charge, so suckers like manec will be responsible. Jeez no wonder this country is sinking with no likelihood of ever floating again! Traffic is not going to decrease, its going to INCREASE - FACT! so what happens when the inevitable happens and the M6 toll road also becomes bumper to bumper?
But for now, suckers using the toll road will help me. Scenario: I am heading for M6 with a mass of other motorists (normally we will all be bumper to bumper, but half of the drivers -the suckers- decide to go the toll route and join long queue(!!!!!) to pay(!!!!!) while the other half (us!) suddenly begin to speed up now we have lost the other half - eh, think about it, there's a moral in there somewhere!
But for now, suckers using the toll road will help me. Scenario: I am heading for M6 with a mass of other motorists (normally we will all be bumper to bumper, but half of the drivers -the suckers- decide to go the toll route and join long queue(!!!!!) to pay(!!!!!) while the other half (us!) suddenly begin to speed up now we have lost the other half - eh, think about it, there's a moral in there somewhere!
Conspicuous by their absence on the new tollroad are the things that would make it successful - LORRIES!!!
The industry has so far (two days in) voted with its wallet.
Lets hope it continues....
New roads YES
Toll Roads NO!
There was a poll on West Mids TV yesterday - 80% of voters were AGAINST any new TOLL roads.
Success for common sense at last.
The industry has so far (two days in) voted with its wallet.
Lets hope it continues....
New roads YES
Toll Roads NO!
There was a poll on West Mids TV yesterday - 80% of voters were AGAINST any new TOLL roads.
Success for common sense at last.
going to play along jimbro1000 said:
No lorries eh? Sounds like a great drivers' road...
Yeah and a specs system to catch anyone that thinks it *is* a great road
Is that right? Is there a SPECS system on the new toll road? Good reason never to use it if so...
Of course...now the new road is open roadworks have started on the "other" route.
Why?
Cynical about it? Me? Oh yes....
I've got to drive from Basingstoke to Liverpool today..guess which way I'll be going...
Van Dieman knows how it'll pan out i'th'long run but yesterday someone rang me in a state of mild glee having just been overtaken on a near empty stretch of the new toll way by a police car doing approximately 150 mph.
My caller's delight was not just the almost total abscence of plebian flotsam, rather, the fact that with a cruise of 110 mph himself, the BiB seemed quite unpreturbed.
And that's the way it should be done...
My caller's delight was not just the almost total abscence of plebian flotsam, rather, the fact that with a cruise of 110 mph himself, the BiB seemed quite unpreturbed.
And that's the way it should be done...
Used the M6 toll yesterday to get back from Liverpool to Basingstoke. Did the journey in RECORD time. 
I won't say what my cruising speed on the M6 was but rest assured - there wasn't much of the rev range left on the rental Astra I was using....
Good road. And only £2. I object on principle - but as a practical matter I am a convert. It saved me two hours of journey time....
I won't say what my cruising speed on the M6 was but rest assured - there wasn't much of the rev range left on the rental Astra I was using....
Good road. And only £2. I object on principle - but as a practical matter I am a convert. It saved me two hours of journey time....
Gassing Station | Motoring News | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff