Britains First Toll Motorway Opens

[BUTTERBALL]

Is this good or bad. I think personally in this instance, good but would not want to see this repeated too often:

Britain's first toll motorway - built at a cost of £900m - is opening this morning.

The Government hopes the new road will take the pressure off the M6 north of Birmingham - one of the country's busiest sections of motorway.


Motorists will need to pay £2 for cars, £5 for vans and £10 for HGVs to use the 27-mile route.

If the motorway proves a success in reducing congestion, the Government could give the go-ahead to similar schemes nationwide.

The road's operator, Midland Expressway Ltd (MEL), has decided to phase in the opening of the motorway over five days in an attempt to ensure the safety of motorists.

Access to the road, formerly known as the Birmingham Northern Relief Road, will initially be restricted to motorists joining the route from Lichfield, Tamworth, Sutton Coldfield, Brownhills and Cannock.

The toll motorway is expected to save motorists about 45 minutes on an average journey by avoiding the heavily-congested section of the M6 north of Birmingham.

MEL has been granted a 50-year concession to operate and maintain the route, which will link junctions 4 and 11 of the M6

 

[Yorkie]

It's the thin edge of the wedge. If lots of vehicles use it the Government will be turning other arterial routes into toll motorways.

We pay enough tax on petrol and through car tax as it is.

 

[The Great Cornholio]

It's got to be good. More roads are desperately needed but the quicker you build them, the more people start driving. There are some places I would happily pay £3 to not be stuck in traffic every day. The bit of single carriageway between Tonbridge bypass and Pembury bypass for example. Especially the M25 from the M23 to the M4.

But I would say that as I have a company car and could claim it back on expenses! Actually, I would pay it personally as well. But not this pay per drive thing they're talking about where all your mileage is chargable. We already have that - it's called petrol.

 

[Bwian]

Motorists will need to pay £2 for cars, £5 for vans and £10 for HGVs to use the 27-mile route.

That's only for the first month...after that period it rises to £3, £6 and £12 respectively.

The road was/is needed but the original Tory plan should have been dropped (toll road) in favour of a road actually paid for with some of the taxes road users pay.

 

[Bwian]

Actually, I would pay it personally as well. But not this pay per drive thing they're talking about where all your mileage is chargable. We already have that - it's called petrol.

There isn't a government in the world who would get away with a pay as you drive scheme (or with the bollocks to introduce such a plan)-unless they remove all taxes inflicted on road users. Even then they'd have an impossible task on their hands.

 

[ukade]

Tolls a good idea.

Damn wright toll roads are a good idea. I travel up every weekend to see my girlfriend and the roads are a complete f^&king joke period. Everytime I join the M25 about 10 miles out of Heathrow my problems start. Once I pass this problem my next problem is the M1. Its enough to drive you crazy. They have been tolling in europe for years so its about time we did it. The roads are generally better as well.

 

[CHAPPERS]

It must be a good idea, there can be no real arguments against this road at all IMHO.


It's even like you HAVE to use it.

 

[Yorkie]

Re: Tolls a good idea.

I travel up every weekend to see my girlfriend and the roads are a complete joke period. Everytime I join the M25 about 10 miles out of Heathrow my problems start. Once I pass this problem my next problem is the M1. Its enough to drive you crazy. They have been tolling in europe for years so its about time we did it. The roads are generally better as well.

I travel regularly from Huddersfield to Brighton and find timing is essential for a decent journey.
On a Friday night if I leave at 5 I arrive at 10 but if I leave at 7 I still arrive at 10.

 

[Dover]

Wil the replacement of the A259/A27 go this way. I expect it will. Parts of the coastal road are at perpetual standstill, an it is getting worse.

 

[ukade]

I am considering changing my times of travel. It took me nearly 4 hours to get to Luton one time by the end of it I was tired and exhausted. I know Luton is not as far as Huddersfield but it is a complete pain in back side sometimes. I would be prepared to pay a fiver or slightly more each way to ensure that I could get to my destination without any congestion and hassle. There is nothing worse than stopping and starting in the car on the road. I really hate it when you start making good progress again and then suddenly it grinds to a halt again.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I hear the coast road was closed this morning because of a crash, that nmust have been a right pain in the arse.

 

[Bwian]

Re: Tolls a good idea.

Damn wright toll roads are a good idea. I travel up every weekend to see my girlfriend and the roads are a complete f^&king joke period. Everytime I join the M25 about 10 miles out of Heathrow my problems start. Once I pass this problem my next problem is the M1. Its enough to drive you crazy. They have been tolling in europe for years so its about time we did it. The roads are generally better as well.

Let's remember also that Europe has a decent secondary road system too (thanks in part to paying more tax generally which enables road user taxes to be used for that purpose-roads). Also explains their lower fuel prices too. They have long realised that to have a decent infrastructure people have to (and are willing to) pay for it.

Look at France. To get to Paris from Calais you have the choice of three types of roads, the Payage, the motorway and a decent 'A' road equivalent.

In the UK we have the M6 or erm, the M6; the M25 or the M25, etc etc. That is unless you don't mind winding your way along a poorly maintained country road that will add about three days to your journey time.