How Do We Feel About Privitization Of The Roads? (Toll Roads)

[AB Editor]

I wondered what the general consensus was on this?

Is there a plan to turn any currently public owned roads into toll roads? Would this leave road users stranded? Is it only new roads?

I also wondered what you thought about toll roads - do they, for example, often offer a better driving experience? Better road surface etc?

[shoota]

I'd be more inclined to accept a toll road system if both the road fund licence and tax on fuel were done away with.
Otherwise I say 'no way, we pay enough already'.

[jno]

Ellipsis, there's no alternative to the Dartford crossings unless you drive back to Greenwich. Then again, it's the difficulty of constructing river crossings so far downstream that makes them expensive. I'm not sure if this makes the tolls objectionable or not. £2 a go seems quite a lot; but it's nothing compared to train fares.

[jno]

the congestion charge doesn't promise you good roads, it promises you entrance to a very crowded city; it's rationing space, which is limited, via price.

[ABerrant]

"Privitization" ?

I was half expecting a policy on planting hedgerows along the roadside.

[sunny-dave]

The bush is actually privEt

signed

Obergruppenfuhrer (Rechtschreibung Polizei) Sonnigen Dave

[ABerrant]

Indeed, but pronounced privIT - which is why I half-expected the topic.

[TWR]

The volume of traffic + the pollution on the old M6/M5 split is horrendous when crawling, talk about traffic flowing well the HGVs SHOULD use the Toll but at a reduced rate to take them away from the elevated area of the M6, for the regular users know, the sectional joints of the Elevated area are always in repair due to the HGVs, Regards tolls etc, I think the motorist in this country pays enough, why has it taken the, or any Government to decide that 2015 is the start of Foreign HGVs getting charged? for the many that use the Highways of the UK, also the motorways, you can see how many come over here paying sod all, Privatization AB! It say's it all? British Gas / Elec Board all that were privatized, for what reason " Profit" so you will see what's going to happen, or will I be proved wrong?

[BRIGHT SPARK]

The toll road doesnt want too many HGV'S because it increases the maintenance budget.

[TWR]

How often do you use the old M6 over the stilts Bright?

[BRIGHT SPARK]

About 50 times a year.

[TWR]

So you will see the damage the Joints have due to the volume of traffic then? when you have time at a service area, have a look at the tax disk of an artic HGV, a Ridgid HGV, then think about your post.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

TWR...........And your point is? Im well aware of the taxation on HGV'S and none of this goes towards the toll road maintenance...THAT IS WHY THEY DONT WANT THEM!!

[BRIGHT SPARK]

Anyway TWR...whilst were on the subject of HGV rfl.........if youre truck has a laden weight of 44000kg the tax is £1850 per annum.....this equates to about £42 per ton and its probably in use 6/7 days a week...whilst my weekend runabout costs £460 rfl per annum weighs 1600kg ...£306 PER TON. Hauliers have got it made.
Its no wonder you can afford to shop at Hilton park services and I live in poverty on a sparkies money..:-0

[sunny-dave]

Worse than that BrightSpark - road damage increases as the square of the axle weight - axle weight of medium sized car approx 0.8 tons, axle weight of a 44ton HGV approx 8 tons.

If we relate road tax to the damage done to our highways, then a 44tonner should pay around 100 times as much as an average car - around £20,000 or so ...

[BRIGHT SPARK]

Ill have a word with George!!

[sir.prize]

Does privatization really work?

British Rail, British Coal, British Road Services, British Steel, British Airways, British Gas, British Telecommunications . . .

[jno]

it hasn't done telecoms any harm - remember when you had to wait months for a phone? Try telling that to the kids of today...

[danchip]

Working on the roads i know that there are advanced talks between government officials and private companies regarding the privatisation of new road builds, the idea is the private companies part fund the road along with the government and then manage these roads charging a toll for motorists and a higher percentage must be reinvested into the road than used to pay off the original cost of construction! I honestly dont think this is going to be that good an idea, the new road is going to be great and kept in a good condition but if the government isn't going to be making any money from this then it has no benefit to the general public who wont use this road

[AB Editor]

Thanks everyone for you answers. Nice to have a fairly balanced and considered thread, you've all been a great help.