drive on toll roads in a 4x4?

[Billy]

Dartfords only £1.80 for a van, and free at night unless its gone up very recently. £1.80 pretty fair to be honest when considering the severn birdge at £10.50 or something and the M6 toll road...Specially when you think your lost due to the stupid staff and drive all the way up it and back down it in 1 night grrrr!

[Bob Slade]

we use the seven crossing when we take balloons to Usk for flying. 2 Landrover Defenders and trailers and are only ever charged the car rate.

[Green man 1970]

"Since I got my 110 pickup I have driven down to Bristol and back in it once, which involved going across the (old) Severn Bridge. I paid roughly £11 for the toll, which I was expecting to as a commercial vehicle."

 

I'm a regular user of this bridge whilst driving a Ford Ranger crew cab pickup. Is your 110 with a single or double cab?

I've also found that my brothers Toyota Hi-Ace panel van, which he has fitted side windows and a rear bench seat in, is classed as a car even though it has an LGV taxation class. My ford is on a PLG class.

Either I'm missing an obvious point or the department responsible for setting the pricing bands are losing the plot over too many focus groups and wellbing meetings!

[Mark Bolam]

Dartfords only £1.80 for a van, and free at night unless its gone up very recently. £1.80 pretty fair to be honest when considering the severn birdge at £10.50 or something and the M6 toll road...Specially when you think your lost due to the stupid staff and drive all the way up it and back down it in 1 night grrrr!

 

How is it reasonable when it is a matter of very public record that the tolls were there to pay for the construction costs only, then crossing would be free?

 

The BS reasons they came up with for keeping the tolls were unbelievable.

 

Look it up.

[eggsarascal]

How is it reasonable when it is a matter of very public record that the tolls were there to pay for the construction costs only, then crossing would be free?

 

The BS reasons they came up with for keeping the tolls were unbelievable.

 

Look it up.

 

Yes you are right in part, there was a concession that the construction company would have 20 years to re-coup the money they spent building the crossing, but what private company would build a bridge just to recoup their costs and not make a profit there after?

 

The bridge was not built out of tax payers money. No other business works just to cover its costs. I know that the DRC as made alot more than its cost but the deal was 20 years ownership before it was handed back to the government which i believe should end this year as the bridge was completed in 1991.

 

And also, lets remember that the bridge is in reality the best maintained part of the m25. I can vouch for this as I worked on all parts of the London orbital for many years.

[Mark Bolam]

I've no problem with anyone making money, but why blatantly lie about it?

 

When they did announce the toll was staying (when it was still a quid), they said if it was free too many people would use it.

 

Right. The people who currently travel 125miles round the M25 or spend their lives sat in a queue through Blackwall?

 

It is well maintained, though, and a great feat of engineering.

 

It's the lying I can't stand. Never liked liars since Lindsay Bell said she'd love me forever then dumped me for Nick Mulholland at a school camp in 1982.

[Billy]

How is it reasonable when it is a matter of very public record that the tolls were there to pay for the construction costs only, then crossing would be free?

 

The BS reasons they came up with for keeping the tolls were unbelievable.

 

Look it up.

 

I mean its raosnable in comparisson to the other toll roads i mentioned, even though it is considerably shorter.

Them going on charging tolls after they said they would is not, one of my friends moans every time we go through there or are stuck in traffic caused by it:laugh1:

[Mark Bolam]

The other toll roads work!

 

At Dartford you are paying money to queue!

 

What's all that about?!!!!!

[eggsarascal]

The other toll roads work!

 

At Dartford you are paying money to queue!

 

What's all that about?!!!!!

 

The reason other toll roads work is that they dont carry any where near the volume of traffic as DRC and thats why we queue. Also, we have seen a massive increase in the number of left-hand-drive lorries on our roads since the crossing was built and the drivers have to get out of their lorries to pay at the kiosks which holds us up even more. Like you say Mark, you can always save your money and go the long way round through Blackwall, but i know which way i would go even if it does mean queueing.

[Mark Bolam]

Left hand drive vehicles have been a problem there for years. Would it really take a genius to introduce some lanes with booth operators on either side?

 

Most delays are not caused by traffic volume. The M25 normally (!) flows OK up to the tolls then is bottlenecked by some idiot trying to pay with a kidney donor card or scratching around in their ashtray for correct change.

 

I challenge them to lose the barriers for a trial week and see the difference.