Midland Expressway

[Thos]

Just arrived back after a few days with relatives. I remember writing of the M 6 Toll road on a previous occasion and the midlanders in this forum generally decried it. I have to say that, after a miserable crawl along the M25, a nose to tail dribble along the M1 and then the prospect of negotiating the M6/M5 junction, followed by road works along a length around Junction 10, I found the Midland Expressway a godsend, a haven of peaceful driving, a soothing of shattered nerves. Then we joined the M6 once more and it was a crawling, crawling queue once more pretty well to our turn off at Junction 16. The southbound carriageway was even worse, it had been closed completely because an articulated lorry had veered over the central reservation. So I calmed myself thinking of the poor lorry driver and others involved who would probably have settled for being merely delayed.

Anyway, my point is that the Midland Expressway was worth every penny of it's £3.50 toll. Even though it does seem to increaserapidly!.

Thos.

[andsome]

Just arrived back after a few days with relatives. I remember writing of the M 6 Toll road on a previous occasion and the midlanders in this forum generally decried it. I have to say that, after a miserable crawl along the M25, a nose to tail dribble along the M1 and then the prospect of negotiating the M6/M5 junction, followed by road works along a length around Junction 10, I found the Midland Expressway a godsend, a haven of peaceful driving, a soothing of shattered nerves. Then we joined the M6 once more and it was a crawling, crawling queue once more pretty well to our turn off at Junction 16. The southbound carriageway was even worse, it had been closed completely because an articulated lorry had veered over the central reservation. So I calmed myself thinking of the poor lorry driver and others involved who would probably have settled for being merely delayed.

Anyway, my point is that the Midland Expressway was worth every penny of it's £3.50 toll. Even though it does seem to increaserapidly!.

Thos.

My whole point about this road is that it should be free. The problem now is that people are using this road, I doubt very much whether we will see any more motorways built in this country without toll booths, and I fully expect all existing motorway to be gradually switched over to being tolled. All this is on top of the fact that we already pay amongst the highest petrol prices and highest road tax in Europe. The reason that you found it was so good was because of road works, the toll road will be just as bad when it needs repairs. We need better public transport and better roads without tolls.

[r4may]

If all the revenue from the 'Road Tax' was put only into the transport system we would have a transport system to be envied, but as usually various governments syphon off a high proportion for their own pet schemes or other projects that should be funded some other way.

Then they say they do not have the funds to build/repair the roads we have never mind add to them.

Road Tolls are yet another Tax on the motorist

[andsome]

If all the revenue from the 'Road Tax' was put only into the transport system we would have a transport system to be envied, but as usually various governments syphon off a high proportion for their own pet schemes or other projects that should be funded some other way.

Then they say they do not have the funds to build/repair the roads we have never mind add to them.

Road Tolls are yet another Tax on the motorist

AGREE 100%

[CurlyWhirly]

My whole point about this road is that it should be free. The problem now is that people are using this road, I doubt very much whether we will see any more motorways built in this country without toll booths, and I fully expect all existing motorway to be gradually switched over to being tolled. All this is on top of the fact that we already pay amongst the highest petrol prices and highest road tax in Europe. The reason that you found it was so good was because of road works, the toll road will be just as bad when it needs repairs. We need better public transport and better roads without tolls.

I agree with your above comments especially about already paying the highest petrol prices and highest road tax in Europe.

Just out of curiosity, I wonder whether motorbikes are exempt?

I know that the Severn bridge is as I have crossed it a few times and didn't have to pay.

Just curious!

[edbanger]

http://www.m6toll.co.uk/pricing/

[CurlyWhirly]

Thanks edbanger.

I see that even motorcycles are charged :o

[Thos]

Unlike some of the comments above, I can accept that a road built with private funding can make a charge for its use. Several members have referred to taxes etc on the Continent but road charging is common in many countries over there, as it is across the world.

As for reserving taxes to be ring fenced for particular areas i.e. motorists' taxes for motoring purposes only, this simply would not work over the whole of Government.

I blessed the M6 toll road last week and will save up my pennies to use it whenever I can to avoid Spag Junction and the other horrors around there.

Thos.

[andsome]

Unlike some of the comments above, I can accept that a road built with private funding can make a charge for its use. Several members have referred to taxes etc on the Continent but road charging is common in many countries over there, as it is across the world.

As for reserving taxes to be ring fenced for particular areas i.e. motorists' taxes for motoring purposes only, this simply would not work over the whole of Government.

I blessed the M6 toll road last week and will save up my pennies to use it whenever I can to avoid Spag Junction and the other horrors around there.

Thos.

I agree that road charging is the norm across Europe. However, they don't pay our exorbitant fuel tax and road fund licence. I understand that France pays NO road fund licence at all, so you pay only when you use a road. I appreciate that the M6 Toll is privately funded, but that was a government decision.

[Thos]

I don't particularly want this to become an exercise on comparative taxation, but you cannot pick out one particular item in this area and France is not a low tax economy.

For example,I believe that France has a VAT rate of 19.6% with even food attracting a 5.5% rate. Overall the height of French taxation is second only to Sweden. They pay taxes at the rate of 45.3% of their GDP against 35.3% in the UK. (And, incidentally 27.9% in the USA.)

The French defend strenuously their desire for Government contributions to their way of life and are prepared to pay for them. The Americans on the other hand find that notion abhorrent. We, I suspect, fall somewhere in the middle, and, going back to the Midland Expressway, the notion of paying for travel on a road will always be controversial.

Thos.

[expertec]

I travelled on the M6 yesterday... wonderful smooth journey... mind you, there doesn't tend to be much traffic at half past six of a morning, or half past ten at night. :rolleyes:

[CurlyWhirly]

I can accept that a road built with private funding can make a charge for its use.

I must admit that I never researched the Midland Expressway before commenting and consequently I didn't know that it was paid for with private funding!

In this case I have lessened my objection to paying a road toll but I also agree with Andsome's comments about our high levels of tax on fuel and high road tax charges.

[r4may]

Unlike some of the comments above, I can accept that a road built with private funding can make a charge for its use. Several members have referred to taxes etc on the Continent but road charging is common in many countries over there, as it is across the world.

As for reserving taxes to be ring fenced for particular areas i.e. motorists' taxes for motoring purposes only, this simply would not work over the whole of Government.

I blessed the M6 toll road last week and will save up my pennies to use it whenever I can to avoid Spag Junction and the other horrors around there.

Thos.

The 'Road Tax' or 'ROAD FUND LICENSE' was originally specifically introduced to fund the building and upkeep of the Road network in the UK, therefore it was originally 'Ring fenced' for motoring purposes only. It was some time later that this ring fence was removed and most of the revenue syphoned off for other purposes.

To me that is 'Obtaining money under False pretence's' something governments are very good at.

My suggestion was that it should be used for 'Transport' purposes only not just roads.