Severn Bridge toll

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Thu 21 Jun 2007 17:53
Severn Bridge toll - Sim-O
Does anyone knwo the reasoning behind only charge a toll on the M4 Severn Bridge going to Wales and not coming out of?
I can;t think whay it would be charged one way and not the other unless it's some sort of immigration control?
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Aim low, expect nothing & dont be disappointed
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Thu 21 Jun 2007 17:56
Severn Bridge toll - injection doc
You got it in one but they should be charged to leave wales
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Thu 21 Jun 2007 17:58
Severn Bridge toll - Glaikit Wee Scunner {P}
Done on several other bridges as well.
The assumption is that bridge is used in both directions by everyone. Direction in which congestion is likely to occur is 'free' other direction gets charged double.
Happens on Tay and Forth Road bridges at present but they will soon be totally free.
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Thu 21 Jun 2007 18:01
Severn Bridge toll - doctorchris
Plaid Cymru plot to keep out the English, well known for their predilection for rape and pillage of foreign nations.

Seriously, simple economics. You only need one set of toll booths and only delay traffic in one direction. You work out the cost for a single crossing, double it and charge that on one side only. Some sneaky drivers may drive the long way into Wales to avoid the toll but on the whole it's not worth doing.
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Thu 21 Jun 2007 21:35
Severn Bridge toll - Roly93
Antway £5.10 is a very small price to pay for the viewing pleasure of the civil engineering feat that is the second Severn crossing, of course with the majestic yet retro styling of the old bridge swathed in the morning mist in the distance.
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Thu 21 Jun 2007 21:52
Severn Bridge toll - Pugugly {P}
I was lucky enough (on an Easyjet flight) to view Severn1 from the air absolutely wreathed ion fog apart from the upper level of the supports - stunning. (kindly pointed out by the pilot)
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Thu 21 Jun 2007 22:32
Severn Bridge toll - pafosman
and dont ever ever exceed the 40 mph speed limit on the approach to the toll booths - or the toll becomes very expensive!

Papho
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Fri 22 Jun 2007 10:01
Severn Bridge toll - Roly93
and dont ever ever exceed the 40 mph speed limit on the approach to the
toll booths - or the toll becomes very expensive!

I think you mean 50 mph, but yes a lot of people have been nicked here.
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Fri 22 Jun 2007 10:13
Severn Bridge toll - Cliff Pope
It would be fun if they varied the direction of charging in response to congestion. Then one could play double or quits.
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Fri 22 Jun 2007 14:34
Severn Bridge toll - daveyjp
" think you mean 50 mph, but yes a lot of people have been nicked here. "

They must be blind or stupid. Last time I used it there were dozens of warning signs of both the 5 limit and the cameras, a number of which were in the70 zone, so plenty of advanced warning.
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Fri 22 Jun 2007 17:03
Severn Bridge toll - jacks
I used to work in the Forest of Dean (the part of Gloucestershire that is on the "Welsh" side of the River Severn) - and there was a lot of complaining by residents of the area regarding the number of HGV's doing runs from the Midlands to South Wales who would take the M5 then M50 and cut through "the forest" and pick up the M4 at Chepstow or Newport to avoid the (then) £11.50 HGV toll .......the current HGV toll is over £15. If you are doing that delivery run every day (and returning over the bridge straight onto the M5) you would save yourself £75 per week.

Jacks
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Fri 22 Jun 2007 17:47
Severn Bridge toll - henry k
Jacks.
I have relatives who live at Newnham on the Welsh side of the Severn and yes it has been a problem for many many years.
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Fri 22 Jun 2007 19:14
Severn Bridge toll - Simon
>>HGV's doing runs from the Midlands to South Wales who would take the M5 then M50 and cut
>>through "the forest" and pick up the M4 at Chepstow or Newport to avoid the (then) £11.50 >>HGV toll .......the current HGV toll is over £15.

I did exactly this in my truck the other week (start and finish in the Midlands). There is very little time difference which ever way you go, the Severn Bridge way may be longer distance wise but it is all motorway and you don't stop rolling. Where as the M50/A449 is plauged with roundabouts and dual carriageways which slow you down considerably in a truck. There is little point in paying the toll if you don't have to...
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Fri 22 Jun 2007 19:16
Severn Bridge toll - autumnboy
" think you mean 50 mph but yes a lot of people have been nicked
here. "
They must be blind or stupid. Last time I used it there were dozens of
warning signs of both the 5 limit and the cameras a number of which were
in the70 zone so plenty of advanced warning.


Its not the signs or the cameras you have to worry about. Its the white van on the last bridge before the tolls taking a picture of you if go too fast. Now you see me and now you dont. It appears about one a month when they get short of funds.
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Fri 22 Jun 2007 20:00
Severn Bridge toll - Roly93
Its not the signs or the cameras you have to worry about. Its the white
van on the last bridge before the tolls taking a picture of you if go
too fast. Now you see me and now you dont. It appears about one a
month when they get short of funds.

Yes indeed, my company has offices in Wales and the Thames Valley, with a constant flow of business drivers between the twoa reas. We have had quite a few scammera van casualties here.
In fact the whole of the M4 from here to Swansea is the most hazardous stretch of motorway I know of in the UK for these revenue generating devices so watch out everybody.
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Fri 22 Jun 2007 20:07
Severn Bridge toll - james86
I wish they'd charge on one side only of the Dartford Crossing on the M25!
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Fri 22 Jun 2007 21:09
Severn Bridge toll - Robin Reliant
We need a peaceful protest against tolls. If everyone could do the following, they would soon be scrapped;

Stop car at toll booth.
Switch off engine.
Get out of car.
Pull wallet from pocket and extract a ten pound note to pay attendant.
Carefully count change.
Put wallet back in pocket.
Get back in vehicle and put seatbelt on.
Check handbrake and gearlever.
Start engine.
Select first.
Check mirror and blindspot.
Slowly drive off.

It would never happen, of course because there is no body that would organise such a protest. But if it did, a couple of weeks of a gridlocked M4 and Dartford crossing might make the govt think again, as it had to with the fuel protests.

It worked in Spain, where the authorities started charging bikers at a toll which had previously been free for them. The chaos caused by riders dismounting, undoing leathers etc soon returned the status quo.

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Fri 22 Jun 2007 21:33
Severn Bridge toll - autumnboy


pointlessly repeated post binned -PU

They wouldn't give a SNIP but we do - PU

When there has been a tailback of a couple miles or so on 3 lanes for whatever reason you'd think they would open the barriers to ease the jam as the motorway after the tolls being free of traffic. No they still carry on collecting the coffers and delay your journey for evermore.

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Fri 22 Jun 2007 21:34
Severn Bridge toll - Ruperts Trooper
If we had a proper devolved government for England, as Scotland, Wales and Ireland have now, we could get our politicians to give us toll-free roads like they have in Scotland - without having to resort to civil unrest!
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