Good news (at least if you live in Norfolk!)
Final 11 miles dualling at Elvedon going ahead
Bad New for M25 users
Dartford crossing toll to rise to £2 in 2011 and £2.50 in 2012
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In 1991 The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge was opened. The PFI scheme allowed DRC Ltd a 20 year concession to collect revenue, although this could be ended early once debts were repaid. Under the scheme, some parties had expected that the government of the time would scrap the toll once the debt had been repaid and a suitable maintenance fund had been accumulated, which was deemed to have occurred on 31 March 2002.
So, 8 years of rip-off! Are we shocked by this?
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It was part of a Labour manifesto many years ago to scrap the toll but fatty Prescott could not read his own writing and we still have it who would believe any politician.
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Bikes go free, you get aid to take a G-Whizz through...
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The toll was kept as a global warming measure
"to reduce traffic levels" was the official response.
ballcocks.
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That'll be first aid if anything hits you in a G Whizz!
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I cannot believe any other country would stand for a self made traffic jam there would be a revolution in France.As a side subject why is the bridge so high did they get the measurements mixed up when they built it.
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If you have ever seen a tall ship, sailing under it, then you will know why.
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Reading the spec of the bridge the roadway is 213ft above the water are ships that tall.
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KAIWO MARU (II)
four masts. Length: 361′ overall, Mast Height: 182′
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Surprising couldn't they saw a bit of the top only joking.
One more point isn't "Dartford" spelt like this perhaps not.
Last edited by: Collos on Thu 21 Oct 10 at 13:47
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>>One more point isn't "Dartford" spelt like this perhaps not.
Nah! 'tain't if yer frerm darn vair.
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As Collos says above - Froggies would have blockaded/burnt tyres/been revolting at these increases. It always amazed me that there was no protest when charges went up from £1 to £1.50 - a 50% increase! Ironically - didn't a French company part-own the crossing at one stage? - it was called "Le Crossing" I think.
Mind you, it's still cheap compared to Severn Bridge - £5.50 for a car I think and I recently went over in a car transporter (single car truck with a single car trailer) and it cost £16.40!! Colleague tried to go over in similar vehicle, had £15 in cash and assumed he could pay with a credit card and was turned back - had to drive many miles to find a cash machine!! He was not pleased , especially since he was on a tacho and later ran out of hours and had to pay for a Travelodge!!
In France, of course, you can pay for any toll charge with a credit card.
Perhaps we should be a bit more revolting like the French!
Phil
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I think that the Severn Crossing now allows credit cards. Listened to some Pollyflla on the Welsh news that they were being introduced to coincide with the Ryder Cup last month.
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'Twas during last day of Ryder Cup I last went across - didn't notice any sign of CCs being allowed, but then I was ready with the cash.
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>> In France, of course, you can pay for any toll charge with a credit card.
You need to - It will cost you around £60 in tolls to drive a car from the North to the South on the autoroute. Millau viaduct will cost you EUR 6.70 each way
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www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-11317735
I knew I hadn't dreamt it - obviously never happened though.
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And yet we came back from Correze (Dordogne area) - about 550 miles - and paid 16 euros the other day for motorway almost all the way- very much depends on which routes you use. Bit cheaper than £16.40, or £5.50 for a car to cross a few miles of the Severn. Oh, and that's not to mention that there was not one second of delay through congestion/accidents etc.
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£5.50 is effectively payment for a return journey. Compared with return costs of EUR 13.40 for Millau, EUR10 for the Pont de Normandie at Le Havre and a staggering EUR70 for the Mont Blanc tunnel the Severn crossing is really not that expensive. The French road network is superb but it's not cheap.
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A11 and Darford Crossing - Perky Penguin
