M6 Toll for Sale

Tute · 12 Feb 2016 at 16:48

platypus said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35553865
Personally I think all of the motorways should be tolled on a mileage used basis, (and VED scrapped) but I guess thats a different thread.

Fuel duty sort of does this already. There's no need to tax twice for the same thing.

Scrap road tax, roll it into fuel, ring fence revenue for road maintenance.

Simon · 12 Feb 2016 at 16:48

Shoza said:
I really don't understand the logic of keeping prices high to keep profit up - lower costs and more people would use it and in the end more profit.

It's so high for such a short piece of motorway that I rarely use it even when I have the opportunity. It's also full of idiots speeding and on two occasions I have paid for the M6 Toll where there has been a crash and so traffic has been slower than the M6!

More wear and tear on the road though

Havana_UK · 12 Feb 2016 at 16:59

Tinders said:
I use it, but work pays. I love the road, it does save me a fair bit of time so well worth it.

Likewise, I'm up and down it 2-4 times per month and I love it. I love it so much that if I ever have to travel the same route for personal reasons I still use it.

Havana_UK · 12 Feb 2016 at 17:01

peterwalkley said:
Is it just me, or is Norton Canes services always incredibly busy ? You see little traffic on the Toll but then have a "where the heck did all these people come from" moment whenever we step inside.

Exactly...there always seem to be more people in the services than on the motorway itself!

snapdragon69 · 12 Feb 2016 at 17:13

Never been on it, but if they made the speed limit higher ~100mph I might consider it. At the moment, it doesn't off a USP other than the extra cost.

Bunka · 12 Feb 2016 at 17:13

snapdragon69 said:
Never been on it, but if they made the speed limit higher ~100mph I might consider it. At the moment, it doesn't off a USP other than the extra cost.

I don't think I've ever seen a camera on that road.

Brookert · 12 Feb 2016 at 17:37

Havana_UK said:
Exactly...there always seem to be more people in the services than on the motorway itself!

From an elitists point of view, your less likely to get scrotes in there because of the toll, so you'd imagine the toilets would be better than others.

rhyswt · 12 Feb 2016 at 17:45

My morning commute pretty much runs along side it. If I choose to use the toll it will shave about 15-20 minutes off the journey time but for the price it's just not worth it.

I must admit I have used it a couple of times when I REALLY needed to be at work at a certain time and I was running late

Orionaut · 12 Feb 2016 at 18:05

Tute said:
Fuel duty sort of does this already. There's no need to tax twice for the same thing.

Scrap road tax, roll it into fuel, ring fence revenue for road maintenance.

I would add in a "Per Litre" charge to cover the RTA component of motor insurance too. (I believe there are jurisdictions where this sort of thing is done)

Nasher · 12 Feb 2016 at 20:26

Though I'm not sure insurance companies would like that since it would need to be state controlled

paradigm · 12 Feb 2016 at 20:36

Bunka said:
I don't think I've ever seen a camera on that road.

Seen plenty of people pulled over however...

Hyburnate · 12 Feb 2016 at 20:38

ianh said:
Pretty much use it like everyone else here, just on the odd occasion I'm driving past (4-5 times year) but I'd never use it I was local.

The Toll that annoys me the most is the Dartford toll @ £2.50 for 550m of road and the diversion to avoid the toll adds 22 sodding miles extra!!!!

Dartford is also frigging always slow! I thought the auto system was meant to ease congestion

Begbie · 12 Feb 2016 at 20:45

I used to use it loads when going from Scotland to Cornwall. Driving that distance, any chance of less traffic/ a little gain on time was very nice indeed.

I still don't like the thought of toll roads though.

ianh · 12 Feb 2016 at 20:58

Hyburnate said:
Dartford is also frigging always slow! I thought the auto system was meant to ease congestion

Northbound - Horrific road planning at the Bluewater Junction + dangerous cargo shutting 1/2 the tunnels down for 5 minutes every 15 is just bloody stupid!

Southbound - Pretty good unless it's a bit windy then all hell breaks loose!

semi-pro waster · 12 Feb 2016 at 21:17

I use it occasionally on the way to/from Scotland - the cost is a minor irritation on a principle level but as it's not often I don't go out of my way to avoid it. Given there seems to be roadworks and delays on the M6 every time I travel on it the chance of a clear road is just about worth the extra cost.

Kuros · 12 Feb 2016 at 21:28

ianh said:
Pretty much use it like everyone else here, just on the odd occasion I'm driving past (4-5 times year) but I'd never use it I was local.

The Toll that annoys me the most is the Dartford toll @ £2.50 for 550m of road and the diversion to avoid the toll adds 22 sodding miles extra!!!!

£2.50? Wow, I remember when it used to be a quid each way. Being from down Gravesend/Dartford way myself, I used to go over it all the time.

Orionaut · 12 Feb 2016 at 21:31

Nasher said:
Though I'm not sure insurance companies would like that since it would need to be state controlled

Ins-Cos would absolutely hate it!

As would the ambulance chasing law firms!

None of this upsets me in the least!

(I will do a post some time detailing how I would do it!

)

ianh · 12 Feb 2016 at 21:46

Kuros said:
£2.50? Wow, I remember when it used to be a quid each way. Being from down Gravesend/Dartford way myself, I used to go over it all the time.

[Dartford rant] I genuinely wouldn't mind the cost if it actually worked but the delays are worse than ever now at peak times, even midday onwards on Friday is now so bad it's better to leave at 8-9pm if I'm driving back to Stoke.

I understand the "point" of the M6 toll, it's an alternative when traffics bad but it's not "essential"to use it. However with Dartford, even though it's not "classed" as part of the M25, it bloody well is, and to avoid it adds a 22 mile trip into the middle of London which isn't an alternative for 99.9% of drivers which means it should be bought by the Government and converted into part of the M25 like it already is in all but name. The new tunnels they're on about building aren't going to do much to improve the situation either based on their location as the vast majority of the freight will still travel down the M20 to the M25 and not use the M2 which is where the tunnels will be! :mad:

Dumbass planners everywhere![/Dartford rant]

Sorry, you can have your thread back now

K.C. Leblanc · 12 Feb 2016 at 22:26

Begbie said:
I used to use it loads when going from Scotland to Cornwall.

Havana_UK · 13 Feb 2016 at 00:30

ianh said:
[Dartford rant] I genuinely wouldn't mind the cost if it actually worked but the delays are worse than ever now at peak times, even midday onwards on Friday is now so bad it's better to leave at 8-9pm if I'm driving back to Stoke.

I understand the "point" of the M6 toll, it's an alternative when traffics bad but it's not "essential"to use it. However with Dartford, even though it's not "classed" as part of the M25, it bloody well is, and to avoid it adds a 22 mile trip into the middle of London which isn't an alternative for 99.9% of drivers which means it should be bought by the Government and converted into part of the M25 like it already is in all but name. The new tunnels they're on about building aren't going to do much to improve the situation either based on their location as the vast majority of the freight will still travel down the M20 to the M25 and not use the M2 which is where the tunnels will be! Dumbass planners everywhere![/Dartford rant]

Sorry, you can have your thread back now

Quite, I had the misfortune to have to make the crossing north bound at 5.30 pm. It took me over an hour to get from the southern end of the tunnel to the northern end, and there wasn't even a specific problem...total chaos.