Congestion charge and toll roads a joke?

[Kapitan]

Are they a big joke?

They make the money but in return cause mayhem on our roads, i live near dartford crossing and everynight its the same story slow going into and out of the dart ford crossing, now if the toll were not there, then they wouldnt have the 4 or 5 miles long tail back the traffic would flow lovely.

I was driving the refuse lorry (dust cart garbage truck) to london the other day wednesday as it happens, we went through the city through the congestion charge zone and then started our part contract we had for that day (a one off trip).

We got back and the next day i was pulled into the office along with the other driver (i can only drive the lorry if its below 17.5 tonnes), and told we had been fined for not paying the congestion charge, now the point here is we were working for city of london borough council on offical council buisness we are supposed to have the charge waved on count of that.

but they tried enforcing it on us and today its hit off amongst all other problems ive had with the lorry today, i have had my bosses saying we have paid it but we still waiting to see if we geta refunded.

The Biffa waste lorries the acctual council lorries that travel round london do not get charged, so why have we? biffa is a private contracting firm not council operated or charterd.

[Takeda Shingen]

If not for those tolls, pothole repairs would not exists, resurfacing would be unheard of, and lane expansion would never be planned. As inconvenient as they are, tolls and toll plazas are necessary.

[Kapitan]

The toll system at dartford was only there to pay for the bridge the local councils could afford to pay for the rest, yet we have paid enough to pay the bridge off completely and the intrest at least 4 times now.

[Takeda Shingen]

The toll system at dartford was only there to pay for the bridge the local councils could afford to pay for the rest, yet we have paid enough to pay the bridge off completely and the intrest at least 4 times now.

I am not familiar with the politics of your locality, but I am prepared to wager that this is not true. I am confident that this money is now going towards public road works.

[Kapitan]

Its a well kept bridge and road system and yes i could wager against it, i havnt personaly seen finacies for it but there was a big article in 1992 saying bridge finaly paid off have a copy of it in loft some where well dad does lol.

[Takeda Shingen]

Thus, it is clear that this money is going towards public road works based on the needs of the community. Check and mate. Next topic, please.

[Kapitan]

But then why have we not got an expansion plan in the works why do we have to pay more and more why is it that the roads are so badly congested.

[Sailor Steve]

It is also clear that they implied that once the bridge was paid for the tolls would cease. Seen that one many many times.

[Kapitan]

That is exactly what they said we will do away with the tolls after its been paid for 15 years later still there, bridge paid for itself within the first year.

[Takeda Shingen]

We had the same thing happen on the Pennsylvania Turnpike near the Mid-County Interchange. The toll plaza was rennovated to include four extra booths and a four-lane express plaza for EZ-Pass. Tolls rose prior to the onset of construction. Be patient. It sounds like the commission is gearing up for something. These changes do not happen overnight.

Keep in mind that the congestion is our own fault, as a greater number of vehicles continue to traverse roads that were designed for numbers of the 1960's and 1970's. We must understand that road contruction and rebuilding is never popular, as the construction itself will generate even greater congestion and delays. Thus, any decision is never popular, which gives me empathy for roads commissions across the worlds. You just can never make everyone happy.

[Kapitan]

It is true however your are talking about the busyest road in europe the M25 in one day the toll both ot dartford alone is said to take in more that £250,000 or more, its the biggest and most earning tol in england.

[Takeda Shingen]

Wow, that's nothing. The Pennsylvania Tunpike Commission takes in an average $580 million in tolls annually.

[Kapitan]

thats nearly £2 million per week and x that by 52 you get £104 million per year

[Takeda Shingen]

That's still not all that much. You Brits have got it better than we have in the 'States.

[STEED]

That's still not all that much. You Brits have got it better than we have in the 'States.


I bet we pay more TAX than you. ;) :p

[Perilscope]

That's still not all that much. You Brits have got it better than we have in the 'States.I do not know about UK having it better or not, but I do not complain about the way US does it.

A few weeks ago, when I went down south for vacation we passed thru that very turnpike you are talking about, if you ask me, it is all worth it. At first, I was complaining and so as my wife, especially when we paid a total of 32$US for going down to Florida, but when I realized how much better the roads are in the US compared to Canada, now I know why, and how they get the money to pay for it, good!:up:

Here in Canada no tolls but the roads suck hard. In fact, Canada should pay their citizens for our premature ball joints and shocks repairs.:nope:

[Takeda Shingen]

A few weeks ago, when I went down south for vacation we passed thru that very turnpike you are talking about, if you ask me, it is all worth it. At first, I was complaining and so as my wife, especially when we paid a total of 32$US for going down to Florida, but when I realized how much better the roads are in the US compared to Canada, now I know why, and how they get the money to pay for it, good!:up:

Oh, the PA Commission is certainly on the 'up-and-up', and the quality of the roads on the east coast, especially in Pa, are excellent. Unfortunatly, dare I say, those roads are the exception, as the majority of the US's interstate highway system is badly deteriorated. It is just that Pennsylvania has excellent road works.

[jumpy]

If not for those tolls, pothole repairs would not exists, resurfacing would be unheard of, and lane expansion would never be planned. As inconvenient as they are, tolls and toll plazas are necessary.

True enough, but here we pay a road tax as standard (either 6 or 12 months at a time) which is meant to go towards the cost of maintaining the roads and such like. Or at least that is my understanding of it.
Currently my road tax is due for renewal at the end of this month:
Ford Escort.
1753cc na diesel.
plg vehicle.
6 months duty - £96.25
12 month duty - £175.00

It gets more expensive every year (by about 5 quid on average) and has continued to do so since I started driving over 10 years ago, yet I still keep having to drive over the same potholes in the road :lol:
So having to pay 'road tolls' and 'congestion charges' (the same thing) it sort of feels like you're having to pay extra on top of what should already be covered by the already bloating compulsory road tax duty.
I suppose I should be glad that I can now pay my road tax online at the DVLA website and not have to waste my lunch hour standing in a line at the post office or driving about looking for a post office that actually deals with car tax these days hehe.

[The Avon Lady]

Here in Israel we have one toll road, the new Route 6, which when finished will go up the middle of the country from at least Be'er Sheva in the Negev (south) to Haifa in the north.

There are no toll booths. All license plates are read by cameras and the system records where you entered and exited the highway. You just slip in and out of the highway. If there's any traffic, you can't blame non-existant toll booths.

Once a month, a computerized bill is mailed to the registered owner of the licensed vehicle.

This might be legally difficult to implement in other countries because of the limits of a toll road company obtaining registry number information from state or federal government agencies but it's done here.

[Sailor Steve]

I just remembered: I live in a state with hundreds of miles of highways and others, and not one of them is a toll road. Somehow we manage to keep them all in good repair.

[The Avon Lady]

Keep up your commuter gripes, everyone, because some day you might get your death wish (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060829/us_nm/life_bridge_dc). :cool:

[Kapitan]

same thing here with congestion charge in london cameras read our number plates.

[STEED]

same thing here with congestion charge in london cameras read our number plates.

Big Brother is watching you. :nope: