We have the LKW-Maut here in Germany (HGV Toll). Lorries have to pay for every kilometre of autobahn they use. It seems to work well and, although some drivers tried to avoid the autobahn, they can't for most of their journey, because of pressure to deliver on time - even driving on the motorway, they would have to speed and ignore their rest periods to keep to the timetables some speditions give them.

As the lorries are the heaviest users of the motorway and they cause a hundred fold more damage to the surface than a car, it makes sense that they get charged for using the motorway, whilst car are taxed and pay on fuel - HGV diesel is often 1c cheaper than normal diesel, to compensate for the Maut.

Yes but the attitude in Britain would be to try and find a way around it.

Another excuse to implement road pricing.

Traffic loading studies only count commercial vehicles, as cars do literally no damage whatsoever to the road surface under normal use.


Not really. Most hauliers are paid by the shortest legal route to site, or by radial distance from source, rather than actual miles covered. So it is usually in the drivers' interest to cover the distance as quickly as possible, in order to maximise the number of drops, and money earned, in a day.

As far as congestion goes, four lane (each way) motorways, with an enforced two lane restriction for commercial vehicles would probably keep things at a tolerable level.

Besides, part of the reason it's not working is that motorists already pay a sh!tload of taxes to the government, petrol, parts, servicing all have VAT, and when you add that to Road Tax prices it's not surprising that people don't want to pay extra to drive on roads (they feel) they've already paid for.

I'd happily see the motorways turned over to a toll/road pricing system if it meant cheaper general road tax. But then I am biased - the nearest motorway is 100 miles away.

I tried the M6 Toll road once. Very clear and empty. One was able to put the pedal to the mettle, so to speak. But not worth the £3.50 or however much it was for the few miles I drove.

The M6 Toll is worth every penny, IMHO.
I'd probably never use it if I were local, but on the few occasions I'm driving North, it's awesome.

I like the M6 Toll. Nice clear road to test the car on.
As I've paid to go on it, does that make it a private road?

If you account for all the other externalities then the road taxes need to be higher still.

+1 - unless it was rush hour and the whole M6 was snarled up (motre than usual). I go uop to Brum 5 or 6 times a year and have never used it yet

Nope. When it first opened, people used to go speeding on it, having races and such. The coppers soon put a stop to it, showing it's not a private road.

I don't mind paying a toll for a large crossing, ie bridge or tunnel. But I flat out refuse to pay a road toll when I already pay a fortune in road tax and fuel duty that is supposed to pay for the roads.

I feel the same Lev - with one exception being that lanky bridge into Wales.

They make me PAY to enter Wales?!!!!

I notice there's no charge coming back into England.

Shouldn't it be the other way around?