Christmas has come early for those who cross the Severn toll bridges frequently, as Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns announced that they will be axed on Monday 17th December, a week earlier than planned.
The toll, which was reduced at New Year this year, will be completely axed in a bold move aiming to improve the southern Welsh economy.
Historic move
The toll on the Severn Crossings has been around since the original bridge was opened in 1966, some 50 years ago. And now, half a century later, the toll will be removed completely to allow for “toll-free, free flow” journeys between England and Wales.
Mr Cairns, speaking at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, said “My number one aim when I became secretary of state for Wales, was to do away with tolling that for half a century has restricted and distorted the growth and connections of the Welsh economy.
Wales will be more open for business than ever. Scrapping tolls before the festive period is an early Christmas present for hard-working commuters who will be £1,400 per year better off.
This is just the start of my plan to pursue yet more growth for a stronger and a better-connected Wales. Scrapping the Severn tolls is an example of the Conservatives ensuring that all four nations of the UK thrive after Brexit, in doing so, transforming the joint economic prospects of south Wales and the west of England.”
The end of an era?
Toll roads have slowly phased out since the 1600’s turnpike roads, an ancient method of paying for the upkeep of roads was introduced. While very basic, they helped to keep roads maintained.
In the 1960’s when turnpike roads were formally abolished by the government, some still remained operated by companies or by local or national authorities. One famous toll road, the M6, remains one of the few roads to have a toll added in recent years, rather than it being removed.
Toll roads are unpopular with some motorists, who argue that we should either pay tolls or pay tax on fuel/Vehicle Excise Duty rather than both. This move, pushed by Mr Cairns, will save motorists who travel across the Severn frequently up to £1,400.
A pattern across the country
The removal of the toll at the Severn Crossings shows that tolls do not necessarily benefit the economy. The toll made the government around ten million a month, but it is hoped that the free entry to Wales will not only benefit the Welsh economy but help to improve relations, boost tourism and increase the business growth in Wales.
There are over 20 toll roads across the country, and while some argue that they help to reduce emissions nationally, others argue that the cost of tolls is just another financial burden on the motorist that they don’t need, creating an unhealthy relationship between the government and the motorist.
It has been suggested by some of our members in comments of previous posts to either charge the motorist on fuel duty or to charge them for using the roads. Some mentioned France, where major roads are tolled, and you pay every certain distance as a potential option, but others pushed for a complete removal of tolls, as in Scotland who abolished all tolls in 2008.
The pro’s and con’s
One of the obvious benefits to this is the reduction in cost for daily commuters. Some could save up to £1,400 a year for daily travellers. For companies who pay £16.70 a time for a lorry to cross the bridge, it means that the half a million or so a year that one haulier company could potentially pay, this can be invested in otherwise developing the business.
However, the downside could potentially be increased congestion in the area as the routes become more popular. When the tolls were removed on the Tay and Forth road bridges, environmental campaigners protested the change saying the extra pollution would provide no benefit to the Scottish economy, who at the time had just released a paper stating the need to reduce emissions drastically.
Should this toll removal be reflected in other parts of the country? Do you agree with toll fares? Let us know in the comments below
My cousin lives on the Welsh side of the Severn Bridge and told me that property prices have increased already in that area, directly because of the tolls being abolished.
So not all good news then.
Great news for homeowners there, who wouldn’t like their house going up in value!
Values, not prices.
And not for young people who want a first home
So i hope this will see the end of the M6 toll road, as other areas are effected by charging to use roads as well as Wales.
I can see the sense in charging for the M6 toll. It reduces congestion so effectively you’re paying for a clear run, and it was a way of paying for private investment to build it. I always take the toll – usually paid for on expenses though 😉 I imagine that removing the toll might cause congestion on it although perhaps reducing it on the old M6. It would make my life a lot harder if I had to sit in more traffic on business trips to the North West.
I agree – the M6 Toll is the most pleasant motorway to drive on! No congestion, rarely any accidents or roadworks and, dare I say it, few police – I’m happy to pay a few quid for the pleasure. However, it makes you wonder if other motorways, with better planning and management, couldn’t also run more smoothly than they currently do. I know it isn’t popular with health&safety but the M6 Toll is evidence to me that higher speeds don’t necessarily cause more accidents and can help ease traffic flow.
Rick, you have the HS2 syndrome,” I will use it as long as someone else pays” The HS2 white-elephant will be used by your set.
I have used it – and I pay. It shaves so much time off the journey it’s worth it.
Will this mean an end to the M^ toll road? as it is other areas that are effected, not just Wales!
But will they actually abolish them they said they would abolish tolls at the Dartford Crossing at the Essex and Kent border after they built the bridge but they never have its too much of a money grab for them the government love to make money out of the motorist . Smoking, Drinking and the motorist are the biggest money earners for the government so they hit them the hardest plus a lot of your MP’s have shares in the public transport system so it pays for them to get more people out of there cars and onto public transport
Cancel the Dartford crossing, that would help.
I know it is wierd that dartford crossing has the fee, but Blackwell tunnel doesnt, and not in congestion zone so everybody go to Blackwell, hence destroying the objective of M25 to resuce traffic in London.
Blackwall tunnel will soon be tolled to pay for the new Silvertown Tunnel
They are planing a new crossing near Blackwell Tunnel, Silvertown Link Tunnel which they have said will be tolled. They then say to make that work they will toll Blackwell Tunnel with various rates depending on time, volume of traffic etc. Just another money making excercise from TFL
Cancel the Dartford crossing, that would help many motorists.
It’s about time all tolls were removed, we as drivers, already pay through the nose for the use of the roads, whether through the exhorbitant tax on fuel, the tax we pay on our vehicles and the DVLA picking our pockes for Vehicle Exise Duty not to mention the hated “congestion charges in place in London and about to sneek into many other cities. Here in Scotland, as the article said, these horrible tolls disappeared some time ago thankfully.
And why in this modern age of computers is your car tax not available from the day you pay for it to the day you want to stop it.? Oh no I forgot the government want to rip you off when you take it out ie; 30th of month pay from 1st, cash it in 1st of month pay for full month, take it out on your new car, Blah Blah Blah, RIP OFF BRITAIN
The Itchen toll bridge in Southampton is another Toll that should be removed too.
I think we pay enough in road tax and petrol tax and VAT to abolish all tolls
I’d rather the reverse: abolish road tax (because they don’t spend it on the roads, the condition of them is evidence of that) and establish tolls. In that way, the government would have to be accountable, as the money raised would be transparent.
Apologies, there is no Road Tax at the moment.
Call it what you like, it still cost me £290 to tax my car so that I can do my annual 5,000 miles, whilst others pay a big fat NOWT!
Buy a cleaner or older car then and you can pay nowt too, simples.
Not everyone can afford to replace a car
Increase the tax on fuel and remove tax on car ownership I say. Helps the economy and the environment. Go on put your fat big thumbs down on this comment LOL. Come up with a better solution than taxation to reduce pollution and congestion and I am all ears
What?
Dream on Caroline. Civil Servants or public officials as they like to be called are even less accountable than politicians. They get paid fat cat salaries, solid platinum pensions and if you want to remove them from their post you have to pay them a further fortune.
Is not traffic incident recovery part of the maintenance lot? From what I now regularly know of the M25 – I’m actually generally impressed at the fairly consistent quick response and tidy up – considering the constant traffic pressure.
What about the toll bridges in private ownership? You cannot abolish somebody’s legitimate form of income, dating from many centuries ago.
‘compulsory purchase’ – buy them out.
I agree Carol one near me belongs to Peel Holding. We pay 12p for a TOLL that was originally for a bridge built over a river in early 1800. May not seem much but causes congestion backed up for miles. The little bridge no longer crosses anything as the river was diverted when the Manchester ship canal was built in mid 1800. People who live near the bridge are trapped as they can’t get in or out of their own homes. Children can’t get to school, some children regular have to do homework in the back of the car. Emergency services can’t get through as they are narrow country lanes so traffic can’t pull over. Now greedy PEEL want to put in a automated pay system and increase the price to £2 they say it’s to do repair and maintenance of the high level bridge over the canal, that’s NOT what the TOLL was for and should be scrapped.
Lets hope Dartford crossing is next then as we were promised that would be FREE!! Many years ago
That will never become free.. I believe It is owned by the French
Not that old urban myth again. It isn’t, nor has it ever been, owned by the French.
The only existing connection with them is SANEF who were awarded the contract to operate the current Dart Charge system. Maintenance of the infrastructure (including the entire M25) is contracted to Connect Plus
https://www.connectplusm25.co.uk/
That explains why we can purchase a toll tag to use on french motorways and Spanish ones now here in the uk ?
Eitherway, if the toll is scraped the tax payer will end up paying these people lots of money to get them to walk away from a long term contract.
Beacause the Brits cannot rig up a charging system designed to rake in penalty charges???
Then requisition it then, or compulsory purchase it for a good old English pound! Make it a part of the Brexit divorce. And while that is going on, take back all of the utilities such as Water,Gas and Electricity stations that were somehow allowed to be purchased by foreign powers. Should have never been allowed to happen. British utilities belong to Britain and no-one else.
This is what Jeremy Corbyn advoctes, & who can not agree with him ?
Anyone with a grain of sense.
HIs only useful idea ? Yes only one
Blame the Thatcher years privatisation. How about the Royal Mail, Railways and Telecom? Should they be re-nationalise too?
You missed out the ‘Royal’ Mail.
How can denationalising water be competitive? You can’t choose your supplier
Our Government administration has outsourced just about everything to ‘private’ companies that are appalling at delivering. These are both British and Foreign. however what they have in common is that they are ”liked” by the established administration. So if you do not like this stop voting for Politicians and parties that do this. However if you just want to stuff anyone who does not follow your political compass keep voting for more of the same. If all the EU Brexiting whingers not lied about Europe for decades – and all the snotty little Labour (and Tory and Liberal )Remoaners not also lied but behaved so sanctimoniously to the minority causes using their majority selfishly to ignore valid minority concerns for decades. Perhaps we could have a better Britain and Europe.
Did anyone consider this, the EU is a community of nations run by a European Parliament for the benefit of every participating nation – each nation has a vote and a veto and with the agreement area free movement. Yet one leader of one country unilatorally decided to allow unchecked and unvalidate over 1,000000 purported refugee’s into this area, and as there are no resources to man borders gave them unfethered access to the whole area. The Humanitarian ideal was laudible and anyones heart that did not go out to those suffering needs to look at what species of humanity they belong to. Beisdes this the practical application was dire.
However at what stage did this leader think about her fellow community members, take on board their thoughts and the implications on their countries etc as a responsible member of the EU? Look at what happened in countries that voted against treaties – Ireland, France, Denmark, the Netherlands. All ignored or requested to vote again etc basically ignored.
So when you have the rise of Facism and right wing politic’s in Europe a Government that ignores individual members and the ensuing shambles that is brexit – lets focus on renationalising crap failing industries that only survive by large tax subsidies or by stacked preferential regulation and ineffectual regulators so that we can continue to have the same marvelous service as provided by Serco G4S ATOS and Capita, Yes but that fantastic 4 of media fame are dwarfed by the money HP gets – close on £2,000,000,000 for IT. No wonder that wonderful sDirector General Operations at the DWP in charge of delivering IT services like (Ha) Universal credit etc and our Pensions does such a Sterling job that no MP was aware of how brilliantly ingenious and lenghty the IT process were constructed. So much so that buckets of money was not only saved but also gained interest by having it on bank accounts of the DWP as oppposed to the claimants it was destined for. leading to increased homelessness that was criminialised and those unfortunates arrested. Thereby spreading the gravy to the other contracted services. Yep his first name is definitely not Cecil. Or Einstein either.
Apologies people I mock myself most for being blinkered and actually voting for this for two decades – Mea Culpa.
Lets all re-nationalise as Scottish and get free prescriptions and educations and toll free roads along with tons of EU subsidy Come on we all know thats the Canny thing to do.
The promise that it would be free was for the tunnel, since then a bridge has been built and this has to be paid for
The Bridge has also been completely paid for, the toll is in now a congestion charge to limit the traffic volume
Congestion charging does not limit traffic. You simply pay for the absolution to drive. The biggest money spinner are the penalty charges for missed payments.
The bridge was built in 1991. That’s over 20 years ago. If all the tolls collected so far haven’t paid for it I should be very surprised.
First we had one toll tunnel, then the second toll tunnel, and finally the bridge, time to make them all free now as they must have repaid all relevant charges by now.
This was paid for nearly 20 years ago, it was supposed to become free after that, but they continued to collect tax from it when they realised how much money they could scam from the British taxpayer. (The Blair years)
Which is why they removed the toll and replaced it with a “congestion charge”. So they could keep their promise in name only, but not really keep their promise.
“congestion charge” There is no congestion, You just drive straight through. So, no stopping, no congestion, no charge.
Gwyn since they abolished the tolls movement into the tunnels has been eased but it is in no way congestion free, they have traffic lights now that they use during heavy traffic and alternate the traffic going into the tunnels, 5 – 10 mins of this and the traffic has tailed back to before Jct 3, so there you have it……….Congestion!
The traffic lights are there to hold the traffic while tankers carrying hazardous goods such as fuel are escorted.
No stopping! Have you been there lately?
Just put the price up for account holders!
Put a toll on roads and bridges to cover the cost of building then remove them once they are paid for like the Queen Elizabeth bridge?? Don’t use the money to cover polatitions wage increases
I am old enough to remember them saying that for the original Severn Bridge when the tolls were 2/6 old money. Now the tolls, admittedly for both bridges recover more per month than the Severn Bridge cost to build. Admittedly there has been a lot of inflation between then and now but that didn’t change the original cost.
We pay for all the new roads and bridges already through taxes VAT fuel tax etc the money extracted from the motorist covers the costs several times over the excess money is spent on other things and obviously that doesn’t include maintenance. HS2 is obviously taking up £2 to £3 billion a year for the next 15 years for no great benefit to anyone.
There’s no place that needs the tolls removing more than the Mersey river. The tunnel for Liverpool to Birkenhead should have been toll free last century but the building of a second tunnel needed financing and now there’s no end date in sight.
And it gets worse. Further up the river there was a bridge between Runcorn and Widnes that was free to cross. A new bridge has been built a little further up which costs £2 to cross. The old bridge has been closed for renovations but when that eventually reopens that too will be tolled.
A disgraceful situation.
This toll needs to end. I find it a hardship on the workers, it beggars believe that the local community pay a minimal fee!!
Merseyflow makes my blood boil …… an absolute joke. Ban the toll.
Are there any “workers” in Mersyside??? Lol
What an idiot!
Again another flippant remark. Every big city has its problems, so lets not class liverpool as a dole hotspot. Of course there are workers in Merseyside, have a lookk at the traffic figures for both tunnels.
BrianRshole
Mersey Transport take about £9M a year out of the tunnels to fund buses – a tax on a small section of the community to fund 4 other Merseyside districts! We had Objective 1 status so if that is a criteria then get rid of the tolls
Get rid of the Dartford crossing toll, this was purported to be in effect only until the construction costs were recouped iirc. It’s been 27 years..!!! Also the online payment is a nightmare for occasional users.
You can setup an account so that it just automatically charges your credit card every time you use it. I’ve got both mine and my wife’s car registered so that on the odd occasion that we use it (couple of times a year) we don’t have to worry about it. It would be nice though to have maybe a couple of credit/debit card booths available for those who really rarely use it e.g. tourists.
Some of us don’t want yet another ‘account’.
Nor do we like anything that automatically takes our money.
Because most recent toll roads have been built with private finance, it is surely not unreasonable to levy a usage charge per vehicle, for those road users benefitting from the convenience of actually using the road – not by an overall levy on either the RFL or Petrol Duty, which is indiscriminate?
However, there is a compelling commercial case to be made that once the cost of construction + a fair and reasonable profit margin + cost of capital for the overall toll charge period have been raised, THEN the toll charge should be removed automatically.
It’s surely no different to a ‘scaled up’ mobile phone plan, i.e. when the plan has run its course, you should stop paying the full plan price, otherwise you are continuing to pay for the asset (the phone), even though the contract period has ended!
I received a letter back in around 2002, signed by Gordon Brownstuff when he was Chancellor, telling me that although the Dartford Crossing was now paid for, they would continue to charge the toll, not for the revenue it raised, but because, ‘having the toll booths in place would reduce congestion in London’.
If that was case, why did the DfT get rid of the booths in favour of the present system of paying online?
Well removing the booths has actually reduced congestion as we no longer have to stop. Having said that I don’t see how having the Dart charge could possibly be said to reduce congestion in London! Surely if you’re using it you’re avoiding going into London and if anything the charge might encourage people to go into London to avoid the charge.
I have to use the crossing regularly and I don’t have any feasible options.
‘Removing the booths has reduced congestion’… On the south bound carriageway maybe, but for some inexplicable reason, the traffic still backs up for miles on the northbound carriageway. My personal experience is that for the northbound tunnels, removing the tolls has made little difference to the rush hour traffic jams.Can anyone explain this?
The thing that gets me about the tolls, especially on the Dartford crossing, is the dishonesty that has been published from various official sources over the years, with regards to the money raised, what it’s used for and how long it was supposed to be being collected.
The main problem with the northbound direction is that they closed any of the tunnels to convoy hazardous materials lorries. Nothing can be done, unless they stard dedicated ferry for them.
The hazardous goods problem would be resolved if we had both directions on the bridge and on the tunnel. All the hazardous goods in both directions could then use the bridge.
The main reason for the problem is, if the traffic slows down to much in the tunnel it has to be closed to manage the pollution level, this is why they have also installed red light cameras on the north bound carriage way. Its a health issue. Hazardous materials being moved north bound would probably also cause a short shutdown for the same reason.
Having traffic both direction on tunnel and bridge is an interesting idea, but would probably need some serious engineering. But worth considering.
I l ive in Dartford and believe me, congestion is now far worse than it was when the booths were there. Several nights a week Dartford becomes one huge car park.
I agree its just another way of taxing the mortoring public, we pay fuel duty, road fund duty, and insurance tax, not much of these add on are spent on the upkeep of the highways but spent on part of the 13 billion of our hard earned money for oversea aid, did the MPs ask us about giving out taxes away NO.
Your more than right. We here are ripped off from every angle, can’t even drop people at airport now without a few quid cost, same at hospital parking. I want to know what the f$#k insurance tax is all about cos you are forced by law to have it you shouldn’t be paying tax on it. You pay no VAT on safety boots or hi-vis clothing. Also vat was only ment to be for luxury items an now it’s on everything.
Zero toll charges. Put it on fuel prices , the same with car tax
Its already on fuel etc., don`t you think that motorists pay enough tax as it is,I do,the extra tax needed should come from everyone not just motorists.
That means people who never use toll roads and bridges would have to pay for them, and the people who currently use them save £1000’s – not very fair is it?
The M6 toll creates more polution on the M6 corrider because most vehicles do not use the toll road resulting in massive ques through Birmingham to the detriment of the people living in the area. If a government really cares about people’s health pollution problems they would scrape the toll on the M6 immediately.
Depends how you look at it. If the M6 Toll hadn’t been built, you’d have even more congestion, so in that regard it has reduced the pollution in that area.
Amazing idea. Great start
Now can we have the toll on the Dartford Crossing removed.
On the contrary, my understanding is that the smart motorways are having the road pricing mechanisms installed, while they are being upgraded from normal motorways; so it will only be a matter of time before we could pay have to pay by the mile. However, it will have to be a brave government that dares to introduce it!
Oh I really hope they don’t bring in road pricing. Yes they claim they won’t use it to charge you for speeding now but how long before some politician gets the idea that they “have a duty” to enforce them via the technology. Speed limits are and always have been a compromise so rigidly enforcing them is nonsensical and is it really a good idea for us to have to drive around with one eye constantly on the speedo?I guess once we’re all banned from driving manually and have to use autonomous vehicles that’ll be a bit of a moot point.
Why do you think they are building all the so called “Smart” motorways…? All the necessary infrastructure to charge everyone who uses that stretch of road….
The French use this method of checking your average speed on their motorway toll roads. You are timed from the moment you enter the motorway when you get the toll ticket to when you leave it. If your average speed between the two points is above the speed limit then an instant fine is given
Coming to a Smart Motorway near you soon.
That’s true but at least there are services every 20km or so where you can get a coffee and have a break without needing a personal loan to buy a sandwich… that said, the fuel at service stations on toll roads is expensive.
Let’s hope the new Runcorn bridge gets its fees scrapped too. An absolute con as they’ve shut the old “free” bridge so you’re a captive customer. and the toll payments system is online or by phone only. Which confused and upset my elderly father who got a fine for crossing. He didn’t know how to pay? Didn’t see clear signage and doesn’t have a mobile or use the Internet.
I also got a fine and wrote to them, as I also didnt have a mobile or internet access as I was going on holiday. Had no way of finding the phone number before the deadline. They declined my appeal, but let me only pay the £2! Their excuse was the bridge was well publicised and you could always pay the toll in Liverpool. As I dont live anywhere near Liverpool and didnt know about the bridge, that was a feeble excuse. How much did it cost trying to fine me and then give up in the end
yet agaian the southwest is left out agaian,i mean devon&cornwall we have the tamar bridge&the torpoint ferry. prices are to go up yet agaian,dosent this mean that devon &cornwall is once agaian forgotten about.
Please learn to correctly spell words and use good punctuation, not leaving a space after & is purely embarrassing. That will be all
Three points:
1. The natural environment is better served with the free flow of traffic. The autoroute toll areas in France always smell foul with vehicle exhaust pollution, due to all the stopping and starting.
2. Collecting road taxes is better done with VED and with a tax on fuel, so that those who pollute most (by vehicle and by distance travelled) pay the most To collect taxes on bridge and tunnel crossings simply penalises people in those locations.
3. The best way for Wales specifically, and the four countries of the United Kingdom in general, to thrive economically is for the UK not to be dragged out of the EU in the first place.
We are not being dragged.out of the EU. We are leaving as a result of a democratic vote. Or are you one of those who when the vote goes against them, wants another, and another vote until the result is what you want. That is not democracy, well okay it is, the EU version. Your country did not vote as we ordered it to vote. Vote again and again, until you have answer we want.!!! Just ask Ireland.
Isn’t it odd that those who go on most about democracy are those who fear it the most?
Should ALL be scraped – Paying for road tax – tolls – and petrol duty – anything else to pay for driving on c**p roads. It’s all a CON to make even more money and it will never change.
The motorist pays billions of pounds in taxes just for using the roads tolls are totally unnecessary we were promised the Dartford Crossing would be free once we the motorist had paid for it the Government reneged on that promise. i say get rid of all tolls in England.
What’s the betting they will disappear except on the M6 toll?
If only the crossing of the mersey was the same.
The mersey tunnel was supposed to become free after to construction was paid for by tolls. Instead the price has risen recently and the toll pays for maintainence.
A new toll bridge has opened at Runcorn, and the old bridge that is undergoing maintainence will become tolled when it reopened having previously been the only free crossing to merseyside.
The only fair way is to pay for what you use, adding duty to fuel cost means it can not be dodged. perhaps this is why it will not be entertained.
As fuel duty plus VAT (levied on the duty as well as the actual cost of the fuel) is over 60% of the cost it’s a real political hot potato to suggest increasing it yet further. They could of course actually spend some of it on maintaining/building roads, bridges etc…but then they’d have to raise the revenue somewhere else (VAT increase? income tax?) which would also not be popular. At least with tolls they’re only upsetting a smaller number of people.
So easy to advocate scrapping the fee for the M6 Toll Road, but in its present form, it allows much less congestion around the M5/M6 junction. Probably worth retaining some charge.
One place where Tolls are an outrage is at the Dartford River Crossing these should have been scrapped years ago.
Let’s get them removed from the M6 Toll now and free up congestion on the main M6 through Brum.
No thanks. I use the Toll so I’d far rather the congestion stays on the M6 and I can sail through quickly.
The tech exists (see Google maps traffic overlay) to monitor traffic levels and it areas with parallel routes adjust a toll and hence drivers choices so to adjust traffic flow – so you could keep the tolled m6 flowing but full and relieve some of the pressure on the plebs ordinary M6 which would be allowed to jam if the toll side was aproaching the limit
Historcally the Dartford Crossing toll was only to last until it is paid for and that was many years ago for the tunnels so it is just anothe cash cow to the government?
It would be great if they scrapped the Dartford toll, we live in east london and rarely visit Kent because of the tolls
If the tolls were fair then it would be more acceptable. We all know that majority of the foreign vehicles that use Dartford never pay. Perhaps foreign plated vehicles should be held up and passed through a ‘booth’, if they were delayed frequently enough they may apply for accounts to cover their crossings. 😉
Foreign vehicles do pay – the use of ANPR means no one can escape!
ALL tolls should be abolished, the Motorist pays for this within their Road fund Licence and as ALL of the money collected from the Road fund Licence tax, is NOT used to improve Roads, then part of the residue must accommodate the payment of any tolls throughout the country, with still plenty left to help reduce motorists Exorbitant costs imposed by Government on anything to do with Cars/Vehicles.
All Road users should pay a Road Fund Licence including Cyclists. Disabled vehicle users (whom get their costs recovered by their benefits), anyone with any type of vehicle should be made to pay Road Fund Licence on a pro rata basis regarding their “vehicle”.
One small step……..
UK motorists suffer a huge additional and unwelcome tax burden. This is a small step in the right direction. Dartford crossing next please !
I’m delighted to hear the news. Let’s hope all tolls are discontinued, eg. Tyne tunnel, Humber Bridge, & Dartford Crossing. I also believe parking should be free on all publically owned land, eg. streets, council car parks, hospital car parks.
The removal of the M6 toll would not be just of benefit to the motorist but to the environment to the whole of the areas around the M6 as it passes through the heavily built up places north of Birmingham. The resultant pollution from stationary and slow moving traffic is a health hazard which must not be ignored.
as a caravan club member I was told yesterday that the fee reduction for members was to be withdrawn at end of year
What’s the point of removing tolls in Wales/Cymru when the most congested roads are increasingly around London and some tolls like the Thames crossing positively off-putting for through traffic? Why not introduce a Swiss type vignette to use all such roads instead?
I think we pay more than enough money for road usage now and get nothing for it, our roads must rate as some of the worst in Europe
I have family in South Wales and have avoided visiting via the toll bridge before now! After 50 years even my overdraft will be paid off! It makes economic sense for the South Wales economy and finally the right decision has been made after many years of rumour!
Someone back in 1933 said that the tunnel tolls to cross the Mersey would be abolished once the cost of the work had been recovered. Why are the two halves of Merseyside still having to pay nearly £2 each way to cross the Mersey then? Answer – Merseytravel who operate the tunnels use the profits from a captive clientelle to subsidise non-profitable transport such as buses and trains. Once again the motorist is penalised and it doesn
t seem thatboosting the economy` of Merseyside by abolishing tolls is anything that anyone cares about.We’re all so self centred and greedy aren’t we! Cars have had their day. They are polluting, there are too many of them, we can do most of our business these days by internet. I say get rid of tolls, yes, but fuel much much more than we do at the moment. Wht should non-car users be killed by the selfishness of the drivers?
I would do a circular route when going on holiday to Chester/N Wales as I like normally to take my time, the easiest route M5/M6 avoids towns and villages, Wales means a more relaxes and stopovers as there is no motorway after the bridge and go past Tintern Abbey and stopping off.
Tis an abbey
All tolls and vehicle excise duty should be scrapped, it would be much fairer for all vehicle users to pay, by a small levy on fuel sold, then those that drive the more miles pay the more, and most families would be better off. I know that rural drivers would complain, but why should people who drive, and pollute less, subsidise them?
If they are removing the tolls it probably means they are worn out….
Looking at the queue for the tolls in to Wales I would say that removing the tolls would reduce pollution and potentially move traffic from the M50 / A449 route which has pinch points at both Ross on Wye and Monmouth which like the congestion at the Severn Crossing results in inefficient start stop running and therefore heavy pollution. In the case of the M50 / A449 in the most densely populate part of the route.
Now lets remove the toll from the Dartford Crossing which we the public was told would be done when the crossing was paid for in about 2003. The charge remains. Motorists were lied to again and the usual congestion and pollution reduction excuses were rolled out to swell the coffers of the state spending machine.
I understood that the toll on the Dartford Crossing would be removed when the Tunnel was paid for. I image that the money paid since, would now build two or three more!! Another govermental swindle.
I think tolls are archaic. Very bad. Eg the M6 toll very light traffic whereas M6 a nightmare of lorries driving in 2 lanes wobbling about in narrowed lanes.
Use toll money to relieve congestion by yes charging lorries more and cars free.