Are Road Tolls A Good Thing

Sunday, 13. November 2011

Have you ever driven the 27 miles of the M6 toll road? I did last year and it was an absolute delight. You zoom round without a care and every so often you catch a glimpse of the log jammed cars on the actual M6 thinking – suckers! So do I agree with the idea that tolls should be introduced wholesale across the country – no I bloody don’t. It took ages to get onto the toll boothed motorway and whilst I had avoided a large tailback on the M6 proper I still joined an even bigger jam at the end of the M6 toll section.

So whilst it made a rather pleasant break and fun avoiding the tumbleweed blowing across the road, I still ended up in the midst of a traffic jam.

On the subject of toll roads, it was weeks ago when I announced the Government plans to introduce tolls and the total stupidity of it. Simply a means to raise more money out of motorists, yet again hitting the worst off.

Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, had a lot of respect before the last general election and I quite liked him but he’s going a bit gaga of late, especially as he appears to be very much in favour of toll roads.

With the cost of fuel so high I don’t know of anyone these days that drives simply for the sake of driving and if they could avoid it most would. So what is the point of tolls? Will they save the environment?

They might do if it put people off driving – but as most people are driving because they have to that can’t be the case. It will increase the costs to all businesses which in turn will lead to inflation, not good for the economy Mr Cable.

And the RAC can just butt out! Director Stephen Glaister of the RAC said, ‘The experience of other countries is that tolls can generate a lot of money and are acceptable to motorists.’ WHAT???? Have you been smelling the felt tip pens?

What motorist on the planet would say that a toll is acceptable, except Mr Cable of course! They should take a trip down the M6 toll road, which, at £5 each way is the most expensive in the world and see how many vehicles use the 3 lanes in each direction.