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Toll Roads Poll!

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  • 10-08-2008 3:45pm
    #1
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭


    Poll

    opinions please!

    Would you participate in an organised nationwide refusal to pay tolls? 34 votes

    Yes
    0% 0 votes
    No
    100% 34 votes


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    CSU
    Registered Users Posts: 459 ✭✭CSU


    wtf? how else are the roads going to be maintained?


  • Options
    #3
    -Chris-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,035 ✭✭✭✭-Chris-


    I voted no. I don't see what it would achieve. I see no problems with tolls on properly maintained roads, they're in existence in pretty much every country in the world. I can now drive Dublin to Belfast at a lovely consistent speed and on a good road. I pay a few quid for the privilege.

    If you factor the cost of the M50 toll bridge versus the additional cost of petrol and wear & tear on your car by traveling the alternate routes to avoid said toll bridge, I'd say you'd be better off with the toll.

    If your demonstration is to get tolls abolished entirely, then I don't support that either. Someone has to pay for the roads and road upgrades. It comes out of our taxes if it's not raised in a public/private partnership. But if it comes out of taxes, then everyone pays for the road, even those who don't use it.


  • Options
    #4
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,986 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    I voted no.

    If you were organizing a protest against the TV Licence I'd support you OP


  • Options
    #5
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    micmclo wrote: »
    I voted no.

    If you were organiZing a protest against the TV Licence I'd support you OP

    There would be the minor issue that the TV licence actually pays for the making of TV programmes ...toll roads however ... :D:D:D


  • Options
    #6
    -Chris-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,035 ✭✭✭✭-Chris-


    peasant wrote: »
    There would be the minor issue that the TV licence actually pays for the making of TV programmes

    The only channel I watch nowadays is Dave! G'wan the classic reruns of TG/5th Gear!!!


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  • Options
    #7
    cyclopath2001
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,359 ✭✭✭cyclopath2001


    No - pay per use is a fair method of taxation.


  • Options
    #8
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,618 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    AudiChris wrote: »
    The only channel I watch nowadays is Dave! G'wan the classic reruns of TG/5th Gear!!!

    One of which is funded by (another states) licence fee...


  • Options
    #9
    VH
    Closed Accounts Posts: 690 ✭✭✭VH


    essential national infrastructure like the fermoy bypass should not be tolled - so i would support any campaign

    in addition do any of the no voters have use tolls daily or weekly - i doubt it

    I could drive from edinbugh to london to cardiff - hundreds of miles of motorway - without going through a single toll


  • Options
    #10
    Tipsy Mac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,559 ✭✭✭Tipsy Mac


    CSU wrote: »
    wtf? how else are the roads going to be maintained?

    I suppose the other 50% of motoring taxes collected from motorists and not spent on the roads would be plenty to take care of them.


  • Options
    #11
    -Chris-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,035 ✭✭✭✭-Chris-


    VH wrote: »
    essential national infrastructure like the fermoy bypass should not be tolled - so i would support any campaign

    I'd agree with this to a certain extent. Bypasses that remove bottlenecks (passing through towns etc) shouldn't be tolled. The motorway network should be, however. And there's a point where once all the bypasses link up, they turn into a motorway, so it's a fine line in my mind...
    VH wrote: »
    in addition do any of the no voters have use tolls daily or weekly - i doubt it

    I don't see the point in this view.

    If I live in Bray and work in Blanchardstown, I'll pass through the toll bridge twice a day. In terms of a cost on my pocket, that'll mount up pretty quickly over the cost of a year.
    If I removed the M50 or decided to avoid it on that journey, the cost on my time and my general quality of life would far outweigh the cost on my pocket, I'd expect.

    If you accept that tolls pay for the motorway network and therefore removal of the tolls reduces the investment in the motorway network, anyone who travels regularly should be a "supporter" of tolls (in as much as people can ever support taxation...).

    If I don't travel the M50 every day, and you're therefore disregarding my vote (and the votes of all others who don't use toll roads regularly), you'll get a greater likelihood of a resounding YES to the plan.
    Take it a step further and the demonstrations will happen. Presume the gov't caves and abolishes tolls. Assume they'll recoup that loss in revenue from general taxation.
    Now I'm paying (through taxes) for a road I never use.

    I'd humbly suggest that everyone has a valid opinion on this, not just the drivers who use the toll roads daily.


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  • Options
    #12
    CSU
    Registered Users Posts: 459 ✭✭CSU


    Tipsy Mac wrote: »
    I suppose the other 50% of motoring taxes collected from motorists and not spent on the roads would be plenty to take care of them.

    50%:confused: Where on earth does it go to so? Motoring tax, i suppose that just covers national and regional roads, maybe the Gov juggles the remaining taxes to maintaining motorways...

    I agree with the standard pay per use toll, but I just can't imagine everyone agreeing to have the whole national road maintenance fund bundled into or added to motoring tax

    kinda OT: Why aren't we taxed for national and regional road maintenance through our petrol/diesel use?


  • Options
    #13
    VH
    Closed Accounts Posts: 690 ✭✭✭VH


    AudiChris wrote: »
    If I removed the M50 or decided
    the m50 is an essential piece of national infrastructure. there is no alternative route of good quality and it is effectively a dublin bypass or ring road


  • Options
    #14
    joolsveer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,297 ✭✭✭joolsveer


    VH wrote: »
    I could drive from edinbugh to london to cardiff - hundreds of miles of motorway - without going through a single toll

    As far as I remember there is a toll to cross the Severn between England and Wales or vice versa - I think it was only in one direction the last time I crossed.


  • Options
    #15
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    I have no problem paying a toll where I receive some benefit from the payment - i.e. I get from a to b quicker.

    It angers me to have to pay for participating in a traffic jam though.

    Edit: that's why I voted NO - the majority of the toll roads do give benefit.


  • Options
    #16
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    VH wrote: »

    I could drive from edinbugh to london to cardiff - hundreds of miles of motorway - without going through a single toll

    and you could go Le Harve to Monaco and hit loads, whats your point?


  • Options
    #17
    Mr. Presentable
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,496 ✭✭✭Mr. Presentable


    VH wrote: »

    I could drive from edinbugh to london to cardiff - hundreds of miles of motorway - without going through a single toll

    So what? None of those are in Ireland - or are you comparing us directly with the UK? A community approximately 12 times the size of ours!


  • Options
    #18
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    40 votes so far its 50:50


  • Options
    #19
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    CSU wrote: »
    wtf? how else are the roads going to be maintained?

    Think about it. The M50, how much money has been made from the tolls?
    Far more than enough to maintain it!!

    People you will never get value for money until you force it in this country.


    **pouts**

    :)


  • Options
    #20
    VH
    Closed Accounts Posts: 690 ✭✭✭VH


    Stekelly wrote: »
    and you could go Le Harve to Monaco and hit loads, whats your point?
    are they essential pieces of national infrastructure?

    some countries recognise the importance of a good infrastructure and how it makes for a good economy - this has only just been learned in this country

    dunno if its related but unemloyment in france is 7.4% - in the uk it's 5.2%

    with the amount of money were spending in road tax and vrt motorways should be considered a right and not a luxury - especially ones that improve safety as much as the fermoy bypass does


  • Options
    #21
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    VH wrote: »

    with the amount of money were spending in road tax and vrt motorways should be considered a right and not a luxury - especially ones that improve safety as much as the fermoy bypass does

    As has been pointed out millions of times, it's motor tax, not road tax. The money is not ring fenced for roads.

    Deleted User wrote: »
    Think about it. The M50, how much money has been made from the tolls?
    Far more than enough to maintain it!!

    People you will never get value for money until you force it in this country.


    **pouts**

    :)

    The French strike and protest for everything, even stuff they dotn care about. They love a good protest. Their country is full of tolls.


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  • Options
    #22
    VH
    Closed Accounts Posts: 690 ✭✭✭VH


    sorry - used the wrong term - doesnt detract from the fact that a decent national infrastructure is a right and not a luxury


  • Options
    #23
    -Chris-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,035 ✭✭✭✭-Chris-


    VH wrote: »
    sorry - used the wrong term - doesnt detract from the fact that a decent national infrastructure is a right and not a luxury

    Absolutely, but protesting tolls won't help/hinder the management of the national infrastructure.

    A good infrastructure is absolutely vital to the continuing economic success of Ireland (and we're still succeeding, despite the nay-sayers). Good driver training, good traffic management, proactive transport strategy and efficient use of public money to do the above is the ideal.
    Whether you're paying for it through through tolls or tax is secondary.

    Will removing tolls from roads like the M50 actually change the fact that they're over-populated, prone to bottlenecks and flooding, and badly driven-on?

    Tolls aren't the problem...


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