More toll roads

[andsome]

The M6 toll road has been open since the beginning of the year. It has not carried as much traffic as was hoped, but has been a relative success. I'm afraid that those people who have been short sighted enough to use this road have now caused EXACTLY the reaction from the government that was forecast. Many people had the foresight to see that if this road was a success, then we would see the eventual end of free motorways in this country. The government are set to announce that a new motorway is to be built between Birmingham and Manchester, and will be tolled. Had more people boycotted the M6 toll road, and the company running it had got into financial trouble, then they would have had to be rescued and that would have been the end of it. Before anyone points out to me that other country's have toll roads, I appreciate that, but they pay less tax in other ways. We already have the highest road tax rate in Europe, and the highest fuel tax in Europe, now we are to be tolled as well. I forecast that inside ten years, every mile of motorway in this country will be tolled. The floodgates are now well and truly open. The governments aim is obvious, they want to eventually tax us off the roads, and onto NON EXISTENT public transport. A few places in this country do have decent reasonably priced public transport systems, but in many other places, the so called public transport service is a joke.

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[AlanHo]

I forecast that inside ten years, every mile of motorway in this country will be tolled.  The floodgates are now well and truly open.

I commend your optimism about the speed at which the government could carry out such a major undertaking.

My guess is that it will take at least 10 years for them to get the plan moving - look how long the existing M6 toll road was under review before they got started. Not only that - will private investors be so willing with their money next time - given the current rumpus over existing toll charges and the general boycott by commercial vehicles.

I personally would welcome toll roads - provided that the charges were reasonable and other vehicle taxation levels were commensurately reduced by such means as cancelling road tax and putting it on fuel so that the high mileage drivers paid their fair whack.

They should also bring back police road patrols and nail the worst driving offenders - be it speeding, hogging the middle lane, tailgating or whatever. On a recent trip to Helston Cornwall - a four hour drive during which we saw some awful driving - we counted only one police car and one police motorcycle. A trip to Folkestone two weeks ago (3 hour drive) was a little better, we spotted three police cars on the way down (two of which were attending a minor accident) and one on the way back.

[andsome]

Alan, the point that I am trying to make is that the government is NOT going to reduce other charges if they impose toll charges. I am not against tolls if the other charges are abolished or reduced. No way will this happen.