I have no objection to the idea of tolls but in the case of the Blackwall Tunnel I do. Why ? Because it’s a tax on living in East or South East London where there is no alternative but to use the tunnel without heading into central and west London where all the crossings are free. Toll all the crossings or none.
Cornish MP Sherll Murray has today asked at PMQs for the Tamar Toll to be removed.
Her argument was that this 'tax' made her part of Cornwall less competitive. She asked that 'levelling up' should be applied. Well if her argument is allowed to stand what about us poor SE Londoners? With tolls to apply at Blackwall, Silvertown and Dartford we are discriminated against. We too could do with some levelling up to our - North of the river - cousins.
Sorry but the charge will be both ways so level.
I assume this is in effect non negotiable as the financial model now likely requires the income.
What irks me most is the perception of deceit. Why not just be up front about it in advance of the build.
I do wonder why there can’t be a modest compromise of some form of discount for local residents (Greenwich, Bexley , Bromley and Lewisham who frankly have no choice relative to other London crossings).
They were. I worked on that project and it was clear right from the first consultation that Silvertown could only be funded through a toll on both the new tunnel and Blackwell. Lots of people objected to the proposal on that basis.
I don't particularly object to a toll on the crossings. I object to the fact that we were specifically told that the Dartford Crossing toll would be abolished once the construction costs were recouped. I also object to the fact that only the South East gets toll crossings. Go anywhere else along the Thames and you can cross for free. Put a toll on every crossing or none!
My dear old grandad will be turning in his grave! He was with Desmond Plummer (the then leader of the GLC) when the southbound tunnel was opened in 1967, he was Mayor of Greenwich at the time and a very proud Labour councillor and I can remember him saying how proud he was that this new tunnel will be good news for Greenwich and SE London in general. He was hopeful, at the time it would encourage more companies to come to the area as it helped to ease the traffic flow from just having the original tunnel running both ways. If he knew now it was being made a toll road he would be aghast, I'm sure. In fact the the Transport Minister ruled out it becoming a 'toll' road as the 'North Tunnel' was already an established route. I sometimes look back on Pathe News where I can see my grandad at the opening, its lovely to see and remember him.
Give it a few years, when we're all driving electric cars, all roads will be toll roads.
The government will have to replace the income from fuel duty, and as that can't be put on electricity without hitting domestic users as well, road tolling is the only answer. Modern electric vehicles are computer controlled and trackable, so your movements can easily be traced...
Give it a few years, when we're all driving electric cars, all roads will be toll roads.
The government will have to replace the income from fuel duty, and as that can't be put on electricity without hitting domestic users as well, road tolling is the only answer. Modern electric vehicles are computer controlled and trackable, so your movements can easily be traced...
Beat they improve the roads, as electric cars are heavier.
Give it a few years, when we're all driving electric cars, all roads will be toll roads.
The government will have to replace the income from fuel duty, and as that can't be put on electricity without hitting domestic users as well, road tolling is the only answer. Modern electric vehicles are computer controlled and trackable, so your movements can easily be traced...
Beat they improve the roads, as electric cars are heavier.
Electric cars require batteries and electricity and there won’t be enough of either being produced for everyone to switch to them. In all likelihood we will either have jumped to a next generation of transport or sustainable and efficient fuel before we reach a critical mass of electric cars on our roads to have made a difference; or petrol/diesel engines will be delivering significantly higher mpg in the near future to offset the commonly believed comparative benefit of electric cars.
Give it a few years, when we're all driving electric cars, all roads will be toll roads.
The government will have to replace the income from fuel duty, and as that can't be put on electricity without hitting domestic users as well, road tolling is the only answer. Modern electric vehicles are computer controlled and trackable, so your movements can easily be traced...
Beat they improve the roads, as electric cars are heavier.
Electric cars require batteries and electricity and there won’t be enough of either being produced for everyone to switch to them. In all likelihood we will either have jumped to a next generation of transport or sustainable and efficient fuel before we reach a critical mass of electric cars on our roads to have made a difference; or petrol/diesel engines will be delivering significantly higher mpg in the near future to offset the commonly believed comparative benefit of electric cars.
They better invent a Star Wars style land speeder pretty sharpish before the potholes become completely impassable to wheeled transport.
Cornish MP Sherll Murray has today asked at PMQs for the Tamar Toll to be removed.
Her argument was that this 'tax' made her part of Cornwall less competitive. She asked that 'levelling up' should be applied. Well if her argument is allowed to stand what about us poor SE Londoners? With tolls to apply at Blackwall, Silvertown and Dartford we are discriminated against. We too could do with some levelling up to our - North of the river - cousins.
Sorry but the charge will be both ways so level.
I assume this is in effect non negotiable as the financial model now likely requires the income.
What irks me most is the perception of deceit. Why not just be up front about it in advance of the build.
I do wonder why there can’t be a modest compromise of some form of discount for local residents (Greenwich, Bexley , Bromley and Lewisham who frankly have no choice relative to other London crossings).
They were. I worked on that project and it was clear right from the first consultation that Silvertown could only be funded through a toll on both the new tunnel and Blackwell. Lots of people objected to the proposal on that basis.
Well as a Bexley resident I don’t feel that I was warned or told in advance there would be a toll applied to the Blackwall tunnel.
It feels like new information.
That’s a failing of communication and how the ‘consultation’ process works.
I did deliberately use the word perception’ in my post too.
Comments
The government will have to replace the income from fuel duty, and as that can't be put on electricity without hitting domestic users as well, road tolling is the only answer. Modern electric vehicles are computer controlled and trackable, so your movements can easily be traced...