Second Seven Bridge Toll Charge

I went across the Second Severn Bridge today with Reggie (110 CSW) and a car trailer to collect the A40 Farina from Aberystwyth.

Reggie is greedy and has a spare wheel on the back AND on the bonnet. When I got to the toll booth I was told that he would only charge me £4.80, but it should have been £9.60 because I had a wheel on the bonnet.

I was advised to remove it before I came through next time (if I only want to pay £4.80)

Anybody have any clue as to the logic behind this?

Cheers

Peter

Who also has an Austin A40 Farina now!

Reply to
puffernutter
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Do just that - but right in front of the toll booth, take your time and craete as much disruption as possible.

Reply to
Dougal

I'm not absolutely certain about this, but I have been told that there is a height sensor on the approach to each pay booth and if your vehicle triggers the sensor then it is assumed to be a van.

When I was a transport officer in the TA we used to have plenty of arguements with the bridge operator about this as older Defenders (spare on the bonnet) would be charged van rates and Wolf's (or is that Wolves?) with the spare on the side would only have to pay as a car. We always lost the arguement BTW :-(

Reply to
SteveG

I believe that this applies on the M6 toll road too. The vehicle height is measured at the front axle location and, obviously, a bonnet-mounted spare adds about 9 inches putting the measured height into the next (or even higher) charge band.

It's an attempt to catch and charge higher rates for vans (and 101s!). It's a blatent rip-off to attempt to make money when the offending dimension is not 'permanent'.

The toll attendant on this occasion should be congratulated for his/her common sense. However those that employ them should be castigated (even the other similar word!) for their money grabbing policy.

Reply to
Dougal

I like the idea but that bit of road is classed as motorway thus stopping is a no no except in emergency. I don't think getting charged the right amount for the crossing would be considered an emergency...

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

I was under the impression that all Land Rover Series and Defenders were regarded as commercial apart from the SWB Station Wagon which has never been regarded as 'commercial' and is not VAT reclaimable. The actual use of the vehicle is not important, just the type.

Huw

Reply to
Huw

What about those flat nosed people carrier things? What about little escort type vans? In this day an age an automatic system should be able to easyly and accurately identify the vast majority of vehicles on the road.

Or even pertinent. Surely the defination of a "van" is an enclosed rear section without windows.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

These tolls are typically based purely on size but, as we've seen, there can be some anomalies. Small forward control vehicles are one, non-permanent variations to the vehicle silhouette create another.

A typical charging regime is expalined here:

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... then go to the "If you're unsure of which class your vehicle fits" link half way down the page.

Reply to
Dougal

I once did a U turn in my limo at the toll booths on the Humber Bridge.

Reply to
Larry

I would guess that because a landrover is still technically a car and the spare wheel is not a permanent part of the structure one could get ones money back later if one took the trouble.

Maybe one of the motoring organisations ought to take this up so that we can all have a piece of paper to wave at the toll booth attendent mandating him to charge the sensible rate.

Whichever way crossing at the Bridge is going to cost less than going the long way round considering the average petrol/diesel consumption of a landie.

Reply to
Larry

Not on the M6 Toll last time I was there (with spare wheel still on roof)

Reply to
Larry

Huw is closer to the mark over the Severn Bridge charging regime than I had realised and at first sight it differs somewhat from the M6 Toll.

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Based on that there may be arguments over 'commerciality' and side windows but the bonnet-mounted spare wheel shouldn't enter into the discussion.

As usual it's a shambles!

Reply to
Dougal

I was pretty well spot on Istm. Lucky guess based on experience rather than reading the rules.

Only in as much as the rules vary. This should not be any more surprising than that the tolls vary. What does concern me though is that my Range Rover's bonnet could height promote it to a higher toll charge on the M6. Will have to remember to measure carefully or avoid the road if in the area.

Huw

Reply to
Huw

Except that the rules that the Severn Bridge do publish make no mention of measuring the vehicle height at the first axle and Peter's situation could come about in no other way as they specifically mentioned 'wheel on the bonnet'.

Reply to
Dougal

M6 toll just simply works on height of bodywork above front wheels, so MPVs can get caught out as well as LRs with spare wheel on bonnet.

That's the way it is. It's a privately operated road so if you don't like it.......

Reply to
hugh

And the greedy bastards are putting the charges up come Jan 1st.

Reply to
EMB

Well I pay road tax and huge amounts of fuel duty on my vehicles already and they seldom use a motorway. On principle I will try and avoid the toll road in the same way as I try and avoid the bridge. It is not that long ago that social unrest closed most of the country's old toll gates and I expect every freedom loving citizen to react in the same way to any effort to toll us in future. We already pay a stupidly high rate of tax on our travelling in the UK. Enough is enough.

Huw

Reply to
Huw

AFAIK the Severn Bridge tolls operate on a weight system. For example, small corsa van costs car rate through auto toll, but go and talk to a human and it costs van money!. Mate of mine got caught doing just this, paid car rates through auto toll and thought all was well....until he gets a letter from Severn Bridge people saying he's been a naughty boy and can he please pay a £40 fine!

I avoid all costs by going down A48.

Dom J

Reply to
Dom J

How many seats in a 110 CSW? If more than 9 then they can charge the 'Category 2' Rate.

Reply to
SteveG

Yes - but if the OP's description is correct that was not the reason being quoted by the chap/chapess at the toll booth!

Reply to
Dougal

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