RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted May 18, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18114141 As someone who uses the M6 daily I find it amusing that the owners are surprised no one is using the toll road leading to heavy losses. Do they think after paying over £6 a gallon petrol drivers will stump up £5.50 a go on this white elephant ? Theres a recession on don't they realise.Drivers would rather crawl past Brum on a congested M6 than use this toll road.The government wants to build more as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 On the odd occasion I travel that far south I usually use it. I never intend to but after being stuck in slow moving (or not moving) queues on the M6 most of the way from Preston it is worth the £5.50 to drive in something higher than second gear. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted May 18, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2012 The quickest way to get it used fully would be to charge all traffic using the Walsall section af the M6 and abolish the charge on the M6 Toll. Even just abolishing the charges would probably save the Government money, as it woild reduce wear and tear on the elevated sections of the M6. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirty2a Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 It's been a while since I last drove that way but the last time there was an accident just after the re merge point so it was stuffed as you came off, you gotta laugh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D605Eagle Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 If they reduced the charge to £2, so many motors would use it they would make a decent profit. But as is typical of alot of UK managment, they're too stupid to realise this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 If they reduced the charge to £2, so many motors would use it they would make a decent profit. But as is typical of alot of UK managment, they're too stupid to realise this. But those of us who do use it do not want it reduced in price to allow just anyone to use it. At the moment it is a way to avoid all the congestion that works - I have no problem with the charge which is similar to a bridge toll to get into Wales (and so much more enjoyable). If they reduced the charge to the point of making it economic through more users it just becomes overcrowded and no better than paying £0 to slum it up the M6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Indge Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 But those of us who do use it do not want it reduced in price to allow just anyone to use it. At the moment it is a way to avoid all the congestion that works - I have no problem with the charge which is similar to a bridge toll to get into Wales (and so much more enjoyable). If they reduced the charge to the point of making it economic through more users it just becomes overcrowded and no better than paying £0 to slum it up the M6 Nothing like being elitist. As far as I and probably many more would say, we pay more than enough in both road and fuel duty, that no roads should be charged extra for. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D605Eagle Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 But those of us who do use it do not want it reduced in price to allow just anyone to use it. At the moment it is a way to avoid all the congestion that works - I have no problem with the charge which is similar to a bridge toll to get into Wales (and so much more enjoyable). If they reduced the charge to the point of making it economic through more users it just becomes overcrowded and no better than paying £0 to slum it up the M6 Well then you should pay much much more. As a country had to give up that land that its built on without choice as it was compulsary purchased. The idea being that it would alleviate congestion on the M6, not be a private road for the ellite. The two roads together provide plenty of space to cope with the traffic if it was equally divided between the two. At the moment 98% goes down the M6. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointstaken Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 So being willing to pay a premium to use a toll road is "elitist" ! I've never such an unmitigated load of drivel in all my life, from (apparently) normally sensible people ! Real world, any of you ? Dennis Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 If they reduced the charge to £2, so many motors would use it they would make a decent profit. But as is typical of alot of UK managment, they're too stupid to realise this. If only life was that easy. We're not in a position to assess the charging levels without knowing all the relevant facts regards contractual issues, financing and flow rates. Branding a lot of UK management as stupid is equally daft.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I love the M6(T). £5.50 to get a taste of what Motorway driving was like in the '60s and not have to pull out to pass 'elephant racers?' Worth every bl**dy penny! Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Elitist? Moi? As a country had to give up that land that its built on without choice as it was compulsory purchased. A bit like the HST2 and other similar railway proposals? I'm sure it does alleviate some of the congestion on the M6 and probably should be used more than it is. But certainly would not expect it to take 50% of the traffic. There will always be a price to pay for motoring paying an additional price where there is some real advantage is just another one of those options everyone can choose to weigh up in their lives. I choose to take the high road as it actually works out cheaper as well as quicker. If I sit around in traffic queues my fuel consumption rockets to around 12mpg against the unrestricted 70mph giving me nearer 25mpg. Not to mention the more relaxed driving experience and faster journey time. That is worth the extra toll cost. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Nice to see greed fail! XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 If I read this correctly, that is about 13p/km, correct? From my point of view, that is quite expensive (about $0.20/km in our money). Our local toll highway (407ETR - I don't use it for financial and political reasons) costs between $0.20 and $0.25 per km, plus $0.60 trip charge, plus either $3 a month if you have a transponder, or $3 a month + $3.80 a trip if you don't. A single non-transponder trip of 27 miles (the same as the M6(T)) would cost $18.20 or about 12 pounds. The private company that runs it increases the rates quite regularly on the grounds that they aren't making enough money (despite the traffic levels and the tolls being significantly higher than forecast when the highway was built). Note that I don't object to paying bridge tolls, or to using the New York Throughway (at approx $0.03/km) or other toll roads where the tolls are reasonable. Edit. If I read the 407ETR traffic level information correctly, they should be grossing about $480M per year... Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium mezzoman253 Posted May 18, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2012 Elitist? Moi? If I sit around in traffic queues my fuel consumption rockets to around 12mpg against the unrestricted 70mph giving me nearer 25mpg. 25MPG! I'd be mortified if I got that sitting in traffic, not doing 70MPH. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 So being willing to pay a premium to use a toll road is "elitist" ! I've never such an unmitigated load of drivel in all my life, from (apparently) normally sensible people ! Real world, any of you ? Dennis Elitiest is probably a bit harsh imo. This road though was basically a test, a test to see how acceptable paying for road use per mile is to the British road user. So we only have all the the users of this road to blame when the government start charging per mile, so don't complain when they do. Thank you for pointing out that a person in the real world finds it cost effective paying road tax, fuel duty, VAT on fuel on top of all other motoring costs that generally have VAT added then paying to use a road. I'm glad I'm well and truly not in the real world, I don't agree with it, so have and will refused to use it until forced too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Lamb Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 If you are going from London to Scotland it is worth the cost just so you don't have to spend the previous hour worrying about what hold ups you will encounter on the regular M6. The interesting thing to me at any rate is that there seems to be no enforced speed limit on the toll road. Bernard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium QWILPEN Posted May 18, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2012 intresting point that not many who may qualify dont know, if you are a blue badge holder for a one off £15 fee you can use the toll road as often as you like for three years. there are many other toll roads that have a similar arrangment. see link for more info. Steve http://www.direct.go...cheme/DG_181209 edit because i karnt spel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 25MPG! I'd be mortified if I got that sitting in traffic, not doing 70MPH. Rob 3000cc highly tuned 211bhp and a heavy right footed driver in a car that likes to motor rather than sit breathing in the fumes in a car park. The open road is still a pleasure to drive along unlike the stress of standing still. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 intresting point that not many who may qualify dont know, if you are a blue badge holder for a one off £15 fee you can use the toll road as often as you like for three years. there are many other toll roads that have a similar arrangment. see link for more info. Steve http://www.direct.go...cheme/DG_181209 edit because i karnt spel Once you have one of these who checks who is driving the car - open to abuse I would guess? XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 It does tell me something about the mindset of this country that so many would prefer to waste hours of their life in slow moving or stationary traffic like high tech lemmings for the sake of £5.50. What's the saying; "the cost of everything and the value of nothing"? You'll burn more than that in petrol with all the stop-start and slow running. Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium QWILPEN Posted May 18, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2012 Once you have one of these who checks who is driving the car - open to abuse I would guess? XF checks are in place as per m6toll wesite "For a vehicle to be exempt from payment using an MEP, the disabled person must be in the vehicle identified on the MEP. At our mainline plazas, please use the Attended Lane where your MEP pass will be checked by a member of our staff; at our ramp plazas, please press the call for assistance button and your MEP pass will be checked via CCTV." Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 It's a balancing act for sure but I do think the prices should come down a bit. It's making a loss and underused... so either needs to be made free (i.e. nationalised in effect) or reduce the cost to a level where it breaks even. Ultimately if it ends up busy, the chances are the M6 is less so, so it's done it's job. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted May 18, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2012 It does tell me something about the mindset of this country that so many would prefer to waste hours of their life in slow moving or stationary traffic like high tech lemmings for the sake of £5.50. What's the saying; "the cost of everything and the value of nothing"? You'll burn more than that in petrol with all the stop-start and slow running. Dave. I quite agree Dave but we've already paid with our taxes and deserve better than being a third world country with the state of our roads. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 You're right of course, but The City needs your money and wars ain't cheap either! ;-) Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.