M6 Toll

[bluwes]

Is that a Clarkie?

Doesn't Norton Canes play for Everton

 

[cptaidan88]

You can achieve much the same "fairness" by simply taxing fuel and nothing else.

Got a polluting, gas-guzzling car? Pay more tax. Got a newer, cleaner, fuel efficient car; pay less.
Do loads of miles, pay more. Do fewer, pay less.

Taxing vehicles by CO2 bands makes absolutely no sense. A Ford Fiesta driven 50,000 miles in a year, emits far more CO2 than a Bentley which does 3,000 and sits in the garage most of the time. Now you may want to tax the rich Bentley owner more, but please let's not pretend it's about CO2 emissions.

Fuel is already heavily taxed and it doesn't seem to have had much benefit for the state of the roads. Electric cars might be good for the environment, but they aren't paying towards the upkeep (and then hopefully improvement) of the roads in your scenario.

There are two separate issues; environmental and the state of the roads. The government have one tax to try and persuade people to drive "cleaner" cars. Electric cars still use the roads though, so if they aren't paying car tax because they're green, and they aren't using fuel, how are they contributing to the upkeep of the roads that they are using?

 

[oldius]

I find it appalling that toll roads are considered to be a way forward when we are one of the wealthiest and most heavily fuel taxed countries in Europe.

 

[city2]

I used it Tuesday at noon, and thought fuck that I’m not gonna use on my return later on tues night which I didn’t, I came back on the m6 and the traffic queue on the opposite side at 22-00 was horrendous, so the £6-70 I paid earlier was worth it, but it’s still a rip off.

 

[ganganvince]

I find it appalling that toll roads are considered to be a way forward when we are one of the wealthiest and most heavily fuel taxed countries in Europe.

Couple that with the heavy rail subsidies and you get a very unfair transport system.

 

[Hoghead]

I find it appalling that toll roads are considered to be a way forward when we are one of the wealthiest and most heavily fuel taxed countries in Europe.

Well, it's the way in the EU. I'm aiming to drive from Calais to Nice in couple of weeks, 800 miles one way. About £150 in toll fees on the motorway, 13 hours driving. Add fuel costs that's another £100 . Cheaper and a lot lot quicker to fly.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I've begrudgingly used it when I've needed to but I think it's a rip off, and has never relieved the M6 due to cost. Same price whether one junction or full length, and if they halved the cost many more motorists will use it. Until then the M6 will remain the same.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Fuel is already heavily taxed and it doesn't seem to have had much benefit for the state of the roads. Electric cars might be good for the environment, but they aren't paying towards the upkeep (and then hopefully improvement) of the roads in your scenario.

There are two separate issues; environmental and the state of the roads. The government have one tax to try and persuade people to drive "cleaner" cars. Electric cars still use the roads though, so if they aren't paying car tax because they're green, and they aren't using fuel, how are they contributing to the upkeep of the roads that they are using?

That's a fair point. That said, the issue with the state of the roads is not how much tax we're raising, but the fact we're spending most of it on things other than the roads!

 

[inbetween]

I use the M6 toll on the odd occasion I go down south and its great but stupidly expensive.

We go to Florida every year and there are loads of toll roads but it never really bothers me because it's often like $1 (~70p).

The turnpike to Miami from Orlando (200 miles+) cost us about $20 (~£16-£18) and you pay by the exit you get on and the exit you get off.

 

[NeilYoungIsBack]

the service station is nice.

I dont really understand why people would pay to use a faster road then pull in for a break?