Tolls on the way back: any problems this year?

[The Leaper]

After all the reported disasters last year caused by the toll on the A28 south of Rouen taking two hours to get through, and then another hour spent getting through the toll at Bologne, all of which meant problems getting to the ferries and Eurotunnel in time, this year I took other routes and never had any problems anywhere. Did PHers have any problems this year with these two tolls on the way back, or have we all found our own ways to avoid them?

R.

[DJFish]

We did the same, avoided tolls on the way back and had a cracking drive through some lovely villages.

[warmfuzzies]

Wednesday down, Monday back no A28 problems what-so-ever.

Kevin

[charlescrawley]

The Leaper said:

After all the reported disasters last year caused by the toll on the A28 south of Rouen taking two hours to get through, and then another hour spent getting through the toll at Bologne, all of which meant problems getting to the ferries and Eurotunnel in time, this year I took other routes and never had any problems anywhere. Did PHers have any problems this year with these two tolls on the way back, or have we all found our own ways to avoid them?

R.

I seem to remember that the problem last year was due to them only having a couple of lanes open northbound and the rest of them opened for southbound traffic. And empty.

Edited by charlescrawley on Tuesday 17th June 18:42

[Piglet]

We avoided Rouen after the problems of the last two years. Bologne was busy ish and we queued for six or seven minutes but it was OK.

[speed8]

I left about 1545 on Sunday. No problems at any of the tolls. Got home to Leeds at about 1am after getting stuck in the tunnel for 30 mins with a signalling failure (was thinking it might be a long walk out if the train had broke down!!!)

[morfmedia]

We came back on Monday afternoon via Rouen with no issues. We were delayed last year so much better!

[dharding02]

Left Camp Monday 10am and we decided to risk going peage all the way. Apart for 15minute odd queues at Rouen around 1pm otherwise a lovely smooth journey with no police issues or similar. Caught The 16:40 ferry @ Calais no probs. Much better than previous years

Edited by dharding02 on Tuesday 17th June 19:04

[Supra_Pig]

no issues here. had a short Q on the way back

[*Kosta*]

I left Le Mans at 1530 on Sunday and had no problems whatsoever at any toll booth. At one booth they were even giving out free bottled water.

[Nick M]

The Leaper said:

After all the reported disasters last year caused by the toll on the A28 south of Rouen taking two hours to get through, and then another hour spent getting through the toll at Bologne, all of which meant problems getting to the ferries and Eurotunnel in time, this year I took other routes and never had any problems anywhere. Did PHers have any problems this year with these two tolls on the way back, or have we all found our own ways to avoid them?

R.

Yes !!! It was an absolute bloody travesty !! No "Reserve" lanes, other than at Boulogne, for those of us with autoroute peage transponders so we had to queue with everyone else !!! I ask you... Seriously thinking about sending the bloody thing back !!!

[Longers]

We avoided Rouen completely there Thurs and back Sunday and had no problems at all. Only one peage had a queue (could have been Bolougne) on the way back. We went straight through it though with the transponder doing it's thing, but the queue didn't look that long.

[trackdemon]

DJFish said:

We did the same, avoided tolls on the way back and had a cracking drive through some lovely villages.

Ditto, plotted a x-country route from Alencon out to Gisors then north until we hit the A28 @ J10. Really nice drive took in some nice sights and had lunch @ a nice Restaurant.... certainly beats service station baguettes!

[phlap]

For the first time we avoided the autoroutes and plotted an overland route with restaurant lunch stop, beautiful tree-lined roads and visits to some WW1 battlefields. This was followed by a stopover and beers in the beatiful square in Arras. Much more relaxing than the traditional run for the channel.

[Fruitcake]

No problems at all really. Some queues but none more than two minutes and, unlike last year, no toll operators refusing to raise the bar unless we paid a few Euros extra for them to pocket...

[stiggybot]

same as left about same ish

*Kosta* said:

I left Le Mans at 1530 on Sunday and had no problems whatsoever at any toll booth. At one booth they were even giving out free bottled water.

[E36GUY]

stuck for hours at Rouen Peage last year. 10 mins this year.

Frenchies digging up the roads in Rouen itself didn't help but only about 20 min delay there so much easier than last year on the whole. Even made the ferry on time for the first year in ages.

[NormanD]

We had a good journey 3 1/2 hrs Bolougne to our hotel at Mulsanne on the Tuesday, the same on our return Monday morning.

I use the Charge Card lanes through the tolls, no one else seems to use them.

[Mattt]

We queued for an hour or so round Paris, but we did get to see the Eiffel tower, which was nice.

[crossle]

Plotted a route to avoid the A28 peage and rejoin before Rouen, which fed me straight into the queue for the roadworks. C'est la vie!

I reckon my Tele-peage transponder saved me about 30 minutes this year - or it would have if my tw@t of a mate had not left his behind and we had to keep waiting for him to faff around in the queues...

Edited by crossle on Wednesday 18th June 11:19