CONTROVERSIAL plans
to charge drivers up to
£5 a time to use a special
fast lane on Hampshire's
motorways are expected
to take a significant step
forward this week.
As revealed by the Daily Echo
last month, the
Government is considering
turning the hard
shoulder into a toll lane
on a 16-mile stretch of
the M27 and M3
between Winchester,
Southampton and
Fareham.
One Hampshire MP
has already called on
drivers to boycott the
toll lane, which council
transport bosses
and motoring organisations
have
described as a
"stealth tax".
It has now emerged
ministers are due to
award contracts for
technology trials to
begin next year on
the new lanes.
It is understood groups of up to
200 volunteer drivers will act as
guinea pigs in the trials.
TheM27 andM3 were among six
congestion blackspots across
England identified for widening -
and potential toll lanes - by the
Department for Transport in July.
advertisement
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly
confirmed there could be a blanket
toll on all cars using the extra
lane or
just on
d r ive r s
carrying
no passengers.
It would
be modelled
on an
American
s y s t e m
where drivers
pay the
equivalent
of £5 to use
the toll lane,
depending
on the
length of the
journey. Drivers who use the lane
typically get an electronic tag that
makes an automatic payment.
In America, the toll lanes have
also been dubbed "Lexus lanes"
because they can only be afforded
by the rich, while other drivers
are left crawling in gridlocked
traffic.
"We already pay so much to use
the roads - congestion charge,
road tax, petrol duty - so I can't
believe the Government is even
thinking of doing that," said
Vicki Butler-Henderson, the racing
driver and presenter of
Channel Five motoring show
Fifth Gear.
Romsey MP Sandra Gidley last
month told the Echo: "It's a classic
example of those with a bit more
money being able to secure preferential
service at a cost of a
delayed accident response to
those who are less well off. The
Government is trying to find
extra revenue and I hope that people
boycott the extra lane and
keep it clear."
Transport for South Hampshire
- comprising Hampshire County
Council, Southampton City
Council and Portsmouth City
Council - backs turning the hard
shoulder into a new lane, but is
against any form of congestion
charge.
A DfT spokesman said no decision
on toll lanes had been taken
and would only be introduced following
a full public consultation.
However, four groups -
Trafficmaster, T-systems, Sanav
and International Mobility
Systems - are tipped to later this
month receive contracts to run
the trials.
Three other companies - Serco,
Q3 and Kapsch - are expected to
be awarded contracts to monitor
and assess the trials.
The development has no impact
on the current widening
of the M27
between junctions
3 and 4 near
Southampton and
junctions 11 and
12 between
Fareham and
Portsmouth.
Posted by: Mrs Stephens, Totton on 5:08pm Wed 27 Aug 08
[bold]bold[/bold] I think to charge to go on the M27/M3is an utter disgrace dont we motorists pay enough in car tax mot test petrol take tax off fuel to tax roads
I think to charge to go on the M27/M3is an utter disgrace dont we motorists pay enough in car tax mot test petrol take tax off fuel to tax roads
Posted by: dawn, southampton on 5:09pm Wed 27 Aug 08
just another con to get money out of the motorist, hopefully people will boycott the lane, lets hope the emergency services dont need to get somewhere in a hurry.
just another con to get money out of the motorist, hopefully people will boycott the lane, lets hope the emergency services dont need to get somewhere in a hurry.
Posted by: Just a number?, Rownhams on 5:46pm Wed 27 Aug 08
What an utter disgrace! We have had to endure months of roadworks with more to come and now the cheeky beggars want to charge us to use the lane we have watched them build!!! The real stupidity of it all is that if they had just used the hard shoulder as the fourth lane on busy periods, which is something the government suggested themselves recently, we wouldnt have had to do ny of the "improvements" we are paying through the nose for.
What an utter disgrace! We have had to endure months of roadworks with more to come and now the cheeky beggars want to charge us to use the lane we have watched them build!!! The real stupidity of it all is that if they had just used the hard shoulder as the fourth lane on busy periods, which is something the government suggested themselves recently, we wouldnt have had to do ny of the "improvements" we are paying through the nose for.
Posted by: TiredAndy, Fareham on 5:50pm Wed 27 Aug 08
I may be in the minority but I think it is a great idea.
I'd willingly pay a fiver to be able to get up later in the morning - knowing that my drive from Fareham to Eastleigh is going to be free-flowing.
5 quid for an extra half hour's sleep - that's a bargain in my eyes.
I may be in the minority but I think it is a great idea.
I'd willingly pay a fiver to be able to get up later in the morning - knowing that my drive from Fareham to Eastleigh is going to be free-flowing.
5 quid for an extra half hour's sleep - that's a bargain in my eyes.
The use of HOV lanes works well in specific areas of the US, in particular on very long routes with few exits. Our motorway system is made up of relatively frequent exits, traffic density is generally heavy and of course we don't use all available lanes for cruising - mainly overtaking.
The tests will fail - but the consultants will get paid a large fee.
The use of HOV lanes works well in specific areas of the US, in particular on very long routes with few exits. Our motorway system is made up of relatively frequent exits, traffic density is generally heavy and of course we don't use all available lanes for cruising - mainly overtaking.
The tests will fail - but the consultants will get paid a large fee.
[quote][bold]Fred[/bold] wrote:
The use of HOV lanes works well in specific areas of the US, in particular on very long routes with few exits. Our motorway system is made up of relatively frequent exits, traffic density is generally heavy and of course we don't use all available lanes for cruising - mainly overtaking. The tests will fail - but the consultants will get paid a large fee.[/quote] I should add that US HOV lanes are not generally tolls - but the need to dedicate lanes and the ability to allow the joining and exit of toll lanes here is the same.
The system will fail here.
Fred wrote:
The use of HOV lanes works well in specific areas of the US, in particular on very long routes with few exits. Our motorway system is made up of relatively frequent exits, traffic density is generally heavy and of course we don't use all available lanes for cruising - mainly overtaking. The tests will fail - but the consultants will get paid a large fee.
I should add that US HOV lanes are not generally tolls - but the need to dedicate lanes and the ability to allow the joining and exit of toll lanes here is the same.
Posted by: mike, stuck on the m27 on 6:01pm Wed 27 Aug 08
[quote][bold]Fred[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Fred[/bold] wrote: The use of HOV lanes works well in specific areas of the US, in particular on very long routes with few exits. Our motorway system is made up of relatively frequent exits, traffic density is generally heavy and of course we don't use all available lanes for cruising - mainly overtaking. The tests will fail - but the consultants will get paid a large fee.[/quote] I should add that US HOV lanes are not generally tolls - but the need to dedicate lanes and the ability to allow the joining and exit of toll lanes here is the same. The system will fail here. [/quote] Even if it fails it will still be brought in by our all powerful government! HIPs are a failure, prisons are a failure, justice is a failure, the economy is a failure, Brown is a failure--but we still have all these to contend with.
Fred wrote:
Fred wrote: The use of HOV lanes works well in specific areas of the US, in particular on very long routes with few exits. Our motorway system is made up of relatively frequent exits, traffic density is generally heavy and of course we don't use all available lanes for cruising - mainly overtaking. The tests will fail - but the consultants will get paid a large fee.
I should add that US HOV lanes are not generally tolls - but the need to dedicate lanes and the ability to allow the joining and exit of toll lanes here is the same. The system will fail here.
Even if it fails it will still be brought in by our all powerful government! HIPs are a failure, prisons are a failure, justice is a failure, the economy is a failure, Brown is a failure--but we still have all these to contend with.
Posted by: hoo flung dung, soton on 6:20pm Wed 27 Aug 08
[quote][bold]TiredAndy[/bold] wrote:
I may be in the minority but I think it is a great idea. I'd willingly pay a fiver to be able to get up later in the morning - knowing that my drive from Fareham to Eastleigh is going to be free-flowing. 5 quid for an extra half hour's sleep - that's a bargain in my eyes.[/quote] You pay your fiver rich boy, guess where i'm heading if i break down (hard shoulder)!
will you get a refund if its blocked!
TiredAndy wrote:
I may be in the minority but I think it is a great idea. I'd willingly pay a fiver to be able to get up later in the morning - knowing that my drive from Fareham to Eastleigh is going to be free-flowing. 5 quid for an extra half hour's sleep - that's a bargain in my eyes.
You pay your fiver rich boy, guess where i'm heading if i break down (hard shoulder)!
Posted by: southy, redbridge on 6:29pm Wed 27 Aug 08
nice idea till you need to use that for a break down or i want to get of at the next juction,what are they going to do follow the hard shoulder up to the roundabout
nice idea till you need to use that for a break down or i want to get of at the next juction,what are they going to do follow the hard shoulder up to the roundabout
Posted by: Rose, Boston at work on 7:06pm Wed 27 Aug 08
[quote][bold]mike[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Fred[/bold] wrote: [quote][bold]Fred[/bold] wrote: The use of HOV lanes works well in specific areas of the US, in particular on very long routes with few exits. Our motorway system is made up of relatively frequent exits, traffic density is generally heavy and of course we don\'t use all available lanes for cruising - mainly overtaking. The tests will fail - but the consultants will get paid a large fee.[/quote] I should add that US HOV lanes are not generally tolls - but the need to dedicate lanes and the ability to allow the joining and exit of toll lanes here is the same. The system will fail here. [/quote] Even if it fails it will still be brought in by our all powerful government! HIPs are a failure, prisons are a failure, justice is a failure, the economy is a failure, Brown is a failure--but we still have all these to contend with.[/quote] Best part of HOV lanes is when someone breaks down - then you are stuck!!!! you have to wonder where it will all end, things are getting so expensive, people are being squeezed - there will be a peoples uprising some day!
mike wrote:
Fred wrote:
Fred wrote: The use of HOV lanes works well in specific areas of the US, in particular on very long routes with few exits. Our motorway system is made up of relatively frequent exits, traffic density is generally heavy and of course we don\'t use all available lanes for cruising - mainly overtaking. The tests will fail - but the consultants will get paid a large fee.
I should add that US HOV lanes are not generally tolls - but the need to dedicate lanes and the ability to allow the joining and exit of toll lanes here is the same. The system will fail here.
Even if it fails it will still be brought in by our all powerful government! HIPs are a failure, prisons are a failure, justice is a failure, the economy is a failure, Brown is a failure--but we still have all these to contend with.
Best part of HOV lanes is when someone breaks down - then you are stuck!!!! you have to wonder where it will all end, things are getting so expensive, people are being squeezed - there will be a peoples uprising some day!
Posted by: occasional driver, soton on 9:35pm Wed 27 Aug 08
If all the lanes are solid and doing 5 miles an hour, how will a toll lane help?
The 50 mph in the roadworks has hardly caught anybody cos the road is so blerdy full people cannot speed up.
The Tory Canyon replacing the Hockley lights took 2 minutes of that m3 Journey.
Will they never learn?
If all the lanes are solid and doing 5 miles an hour, how will a toll lane help?
The 50 mph in the roadworks has hardly caught anybody cos the road is so blerdy full people cannot speed up.
The Tory Canyon replacing the Hockley lights took 2 minutes of that m3 Journey.
Will they never learn?
Posted by: southy, redbridge on 11:02pm Wed 27 Aug 08
here another intresting point:- all lanes are flowing freely your doing 60 mph on the lane next to the toll lane and a car passes you in the toll lane doing more than 60mph are they breaking the law by under taken
here another intresting point:- all lanes are flowing freely your doing 60 mph on the lane next to the toll lane and a car passes you in the toll lane doing more than 60mph are they breaking the law by under taken
Posted by: confused, help pls on 11:35pm Wed 27 Aug 08
can someone explain to me what happens if you do break down and need to use the hard shoulder. i dread to think if that happened and the hard shoulder was being used as a paid for fast lane. im just a bit confused as to what they have decided to do about cars that need the hard shoulder for emergencies....
can someone explain to me what happens if you do break down and need to use the hard shoulder. i dread to think if that happened and the hard shoulder was being used as a paid for fast lane. im just a bit confused as to what they have decided to do about cars that need the hard shoulder for emergencies....
Posted by: kebab man, cashpoint on 6:15am Thu 28 Aug 08
get your dough out and stop moaning.............
... keep your dough in your pocket stop moaning...........ju
st stop maoning its gonna happen, so little boy blue come blw on your trumpet, if the cows dont like it they can fkin well lump it....eh ha ha
get your dough out and stop moaning.............
... keep your dough in your pocket stop moaning...........ju
st stop maoning its gonna happen, so little boy blue come blw on your trumpet, if the cows dont like it they can fkin well lump it....eh ha ha
Posted by: Stuart Jebbitt, Eastleigh on 10:54am Thu 28 Aug 08
God save us from Ruth Kelly - I only have to see the woman on TV and I want to vomit my brains out through my eyeballs.
More stupid ideas imported from the US.
Make public transport financially viable and you'll reduce the traffic problems.
Labour - the party that helps RICH people and screws everyone else.
God save us from Ruth Kelly - I only have to see the woman on TV and I want to vomit my brains out through my eyeballs.
More stupid ideas imported from the US.
Make public transport financially viable and you'll reduce the traffic problems.
Labour - the party that helps RICH people and screws everyone else.
[quote][bold]southy[/bold] wrote:
here another intresting point:- all lanes are flowing freely your doing 60 mph on the lane next to the toll lane and a car passes you in the toll lane doing more than 60mph are they breaking the law by under taken[/quote] I would guess they will have some sort of clause allowing for that if it's a toll road. Does strike me as dangerous though in case someone travelling needs to change lane in an emergency. Could lead to a nasty accident. I guess the trials will help work these problems out.
I personally would rather be late than pay anymore money
southy wrote:
here another intresting point:- all lanes are flowing freely your doing 60 mph on the lane next to the toll lane and a car passes you in the toll lane doing more than 60mph are they breaking the law by under taken
I would guess they will have some sort of clause allowing for that if it's a toll road. Does strike me as dangerous though in case someone travelling needs to change lane in an emergency. Could lead to a nasty accident. I guess the trials will help work these problems out.
I personally would rather be late than pay anymore money
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
Print
Email this
Comment
