Toll-free motorway trips trialled for HGVs

mydiscworld

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tollfree-motorway-trips-trialled-29628490.html

Truckers are in for a free ride next month as four motorway tolls are being
lifted to get HGVs out of villages and off country roads.

The M1, M3, M6 and Limerick tunnel will be free of charge for lorry drivers
in November in a trial run to see if it reduces the number trying to dodge the
levies.

Good idea.

Surprised Fermoy toll bridge isn't inc. Lots going through Fermoy and Rathcormac to avoid that toll

veryangryman

mydiscworld wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tollfree-motorway-trips-trialled-29628490.html



Good idea.

Surprised Fermoy toll bridge isn't inc. Lots going through Fermoy and Rathcormac to avoid that toll

Guess is that they took the least trafficked roads to do it on so that the motorist CONTINUES to get screwed to the max.

M18 and M3 are known to be loss making. M6 isnt hugely trafficked.

M1 the only exception.

L1011

M4 has huge avoidance too. Mother Hubbard's will be relieved!

veryangryman

MYOB wrote: »

M4 has huge avoidance too. Mother Hubbard's will be relieved!

I wouldnt call it huge. Most traffic on R148 is local-ish, remember were in pseudo-commuter territory here. Enfield-Kinnegad corridoor has alot of people just going frm one of the towns to the other. Might consider the M4 if it was free.

Re: trucks, i dont see many on the old road (and i do toll dodge a bit on this one)

L1011

veryangryman wrote: »

I wouldnt call it huge. Most traffic on R148 is local-ish, remember were in pseudo-commuter territory here. Enfield-Kinnegad corridoor has alot of people just going frm one of the towns to the other. Might consider the M4 if it was free.

Re: trucks, i dont see many on the old road (and i do toll dodge a bit on this one)

Constant stream of trucks heading off at Kilcock when you go that way. Its mostly Stobart and foreign registered trucks that pay.

niloc1951

MYOB wrote: »

Constant stream of trucks heading off at Kilcock when you go that way. Its mostly Stobart and foreign registered trucks that pay.

WE pay, as the goods in Eddie Stobart trucks and all the others end up on supermarket shelves priced to include recovery of the toll costs

Chris_5339762

...yet they will not go down if the trucks suddenly got free tolls. Mr Stobart would pocket the difference.

road_high

Interesting. What happens the staff though for the month? i.e ones on the booths?

Cookiemunster

road_high wrote: »

Interesting. What happens the staff though for the month? i.e ones on the booths?

Cars / vans will still be paying. This is only for HGVs. And someone will still have to let them through the barrier.

antoobrien

niloc1951 wrote: »

WE pay, as the goods in Eddie Stobart trucks and all the others end up on supermarket shelves priced to include recovery of the toll costs

€7 on a load of how many items? Red herring.

antoobrien

antoobrien wrote: »

€7 on a load of how many items? Red herring.

It's still factored in there somewhere, the consumer always pays in the end.

_Kaiser_

Not sure what this is meant to achieve really... of course HGVs will use the (currently) tolled option if it's free!

What happens in December? Back to the current situation, and what will we have leaned?

L1011

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Not sure what this is meant to achieve really... of course HGVs will use the (currently) tolled option if it's free!

What happens in December? Back to the current situation, and what will we have leaned?

Try to get people used to taking the proper route? Force of habit is a huge factor in route usage by regular drivers.

veryangryman

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Not sure what this is meant to achieve really... of course HGVs will use the (currently) tolled option if it's free!

What happens in December? Back to the current situation, and what will we have leaned?

I guess that it can prove/disprove that most of the HGVs using the old roads are actually going intercity (and thus would use the Motorways if they werent tolled)

If it turns out that theres still alot on the old roads, then one deduces that its not a penny pinching exercise.

This would be confirmed well if the exercise was done on M4/M8

serfboard

Although I am most familiar with the M6/M4 I have driven the other motorways and I'm constantly surprised at the lack of trucks, particularly compared to the UK. This might answer the question as to whether the tolls are responsible for it.

antoobrien

serfboard wrote: »

Although I am most familiar with the M6/M4 I have driven the other motorways and I'm constantly surprised at the lack of trucks, particularly compared to the UK. This might answer the question as to whether the tolls are responsible for it.

It might have something to do with their schedules as trucks would have to be at whatever port at certain times e.g. 7am for the 8am ferry out of Dublin.

It's probably worth noting that on most roads with counters HGVs are also a small proportion of the overall traffic in Ireland (usually between 8% - 12%), combined with the schedules they have to keep.....

veryangryman

antoobrien wrote: »

It might have something to do with their schedules as trucks would have to be at whatever port at certain times e.g. 7am for the 8am ferry out of Dublin.

It's probably worth noting that on most roads with counters HGVs are also a small proportion of the overall traffic in Ireland (usually between 8% - 12%), combined with the schedules they have to keep.....

Couple of other factors...

The UK has a higher population (ergo more commerce/industry that needs trucking to transport goods)
The UK has very few Motorways for its size. People often go a good bit out of their way to use the Motorway network as the alternatives aren't great.
UK Motorways (M6 and M4 aside) are not tolled AFAIK.

veryangryman

veryangryman wrote: »

Couple of other factors...


UK Motorways (M6 and M4 aside) are not tolled AFAIK.

It should be remembered that the M6-toll (Birmingham bypass-bypass) runs in parallel with a free section of motorway.
The other tolled sections of UK motorway are usually only where there are major bridges or tunnels.

Truckermal

I have used both tolled roads and the old roads in a truck and after a lot of study the tolled motorway works out cheaper in the long term. You are saving on fuel, wear and tear, driving time plus its more relaxing.

My only gripe is the lack of a express lane for trucks especially in Fermoy as I have often got stuck in a queue while some old bat up front starts rummaging through her handbag for change.

The N4 through Enfield is a pure disaster, I always use the toll.