M50 electronic tolling; an opportunity?

Lennoxschips

I was thinking, wouldn't it be a good idea when introducing the M50 electronic tolling to tie in engine size and vehicle weight into the equation? i.e. Land Rover would have to pay three times as much as a Nissan Micra, or something like that?

Is it technically possible? Vehicle type information is stored in the number plate database I take it, and the tolling will be done by reading number plates I take it, like with London's congestion charge? Or will they be using in car chips?

Guy:Incognito

Why? The antequated (sp?) motor tax system that everybody wants changed operates like that. a 92 micra thats been driven the crap out of and not serviced in years could well be chugging out more emissions thatn a brand new range rover.

Kelter

" a 92 micra thats been driven the crap out of and not serviced in years could well be chugging out more emissions thatn a brand new range rover"

Isn't that one of the reasons for the NCT?

I detect a Range rover driver

Wishbone Ash

But how would the number plate database know whether the vehicle is laden or unladen? It would be a bit unfair to penalise a 40,000 kg truck which is delivering essential consumer products and allow a light car, going for an unnecessary 'spin', to pay very little.

Guy:Incognito

Kelter wrote:

" a 92 micra thats been driven the crap out of and not serviced in years could well be chugging out more emissions thatn a brand new range rover"

Isn't that one of the reasons for the NCT?

I detect a Range rover driver

Not at all, I drive a Clio for work at the minute.

My point was that engine size doesnt automatically = higher emissions. Assumeing the 92 micra has an nct (like it or not some people dont have an nct and have to be included in a scenario) it may well be skirting along just under the limit, where a brand new large engine (not nessecarily a Range Rover) car will e putting put a good bit less emissions.

The motor forum has plenty threads about people wanting an end to cc based motor tax for the reasons above. Many other countries already have it as its a far better meathod of "polluter pays" .

So why go backwards with this?

RangeR

Stekelly wrote:

Not at all, I drive a Clio for work at the minute.

My point was that engine size doesnt automatically = higher emissions. Assumeing the 92 micra has an nct (like it or not some people dont have an nct and have to be included in a scenario) it may well be skirting along just under the limit, where a brand new large engine (not nessecarily a Range Rover) car will e putting put a good bit less emissions.

The motor forum has plenty threads about people wanting an end to cc based motor tax for the reasons above. Many other countries already have it as its a far better meathod of "polluter pays" .

So why go backwards with this?

Going well of topic hear. As far as I know, the motor tax and toll bridge charges are based on your type of vehical. The bigger the vehicle, the more wear and tear you create on our roads. Big 40 footers and the like will mess up the roads more than a small itsy bitsy micra.

Feel free to correct me but I don't think it has anything to do with pollution. At least it didn't a few years ago.

Guy:Incognito

Since it was in the green issues forum i went at it from a environmental angle.

Size of engine is still a bad way to do it. What about a VW polo with a 1ltr, 1.2 or 1.4 ltr engine? It's teh same sized car with a different engine. The clio 1.2 and the 2ltr version?