Wednesday 10th December 2003

For Whom the M6 Tolls

Bikers want a freebie

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The Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCI) has today called for motorcyclists to be exempt from road tolls on the newly opened M6 Toll Road. The Toll Road has been opened to alleviate regional congestion on the old M6.

A reduced toll price is available to the first 10 million users of the road and then the price will be increased for all types of vehicle. Motorcyclists, who are subject to the special 'launch rate' will be charged £1.00 from 6am to 11pm and 50 pence at night. The toll will then rise to £2 during the day and £1.50 at night compared to car drivers who will be charged £3 and £2 respectively.

Craig Carey-Clinch, Director of Public Affairs said, "Riding a motorcycle helps reduce congestion and pollution, therefore strategies should be implemented to encourage wider use of this form of transport. The M6 Toll Road is the only large scale road toll which insists on charging motorcycles. Other major toll roads, such as the Dartford Crossing and the Severn Bridge, exempt motorcycles in recognition that they contribute to lower pollution and congestion.

"Even London's congestion zone exempts motorcyclists from the charge and there has been a significant increase in the number of people using motorcycles, scooters and mopeds as they recognise they can save time and money on their journeys. The exemption has also led to a decrease in motorcycle casualties.

The old M6 is one of the busiest roads in the UK and around 180,000 vehicles travel on it daily and the sheer volume of traffic means that people travel at an average speed of just 17mph at peak times.

The new toll road is a 27-mile stretch between junctions four and 11 of the M6 which has been opened to relieve pressure and reduce congestion on the M6.

Links : www.m6toll.co.uk , www.mcia.co.uk  

[mel]

The reason the Dartford river crossing actually exempted motorcycles was that rather than "Riding a motorcycle helps reduce congestion and pollution" they created more congestion and tailbacks at the toll boothes, car pulls up driver lobs pound in bin (that he's rumaged in pocket for while coming over bridge) car drives off, bike pulls up finds neutral, sits up, takes off gloves, rumages in pockets for money, gets pissed off as he can't get his hand far enough into pocket under three layers of clothes so get wallet out and pays fifty pence toll with a tenner, recieves £9.50 change which he promptly drops because he hasn't got any feeling in his hands, gets off bike trys picking up change, gets pissed off with helmet so takes that off as well, picks up change and again goes to put it in his pocket, misses with half the change which goes down inside of trouser leg and ends up in boot, decides enough is enough and says sod it by this time he is getting embarrassed at the size of the tailback he's caused so rushes to get helmet and gloves back on, does it in the wrong order and can't do up helmet properly because he's already got his gloves on, thinks bollox I'll cause an even bigger delay if my helmet comes off so takes off gloves again and does lid up properly, puts gloves back on but drags the lining down the wrong finger because he's rushing, gets all in a flap gets back on bike and roars off far to quickly and looks a twat, stops at Clackett Lane to retrieve loose change from boot which has hurt like buggery for the last 20 miles and get each finger in its correct hole of his gloves.

Should they make the M6 toll road free for bikes? errrrrrrrrrr I think so.

[Tim2100]

lol excellent post mel!!

[jackass]

Had they used that reason I'd agree.

[james]

Using the bikers logic, we should be trying to encourage cyclists on the M6 too

[dandarez]

180,000 vehicles on old M6 hardly moving, half think f... this I'm paying the toll. This half take the new route and then find themselves in (guess what?) a queue - for f.....g ages to pay their toll!

Moral? More money than sense?
The other half suddenly start moving faster...