Roads to be privatised.

[spooky3]

I don't see what all the fuss is about, I am sure the plebs will just sit there in their cars in traffic jams while watching the rich cruise past on their private lane. As Mecky says I can only see prices going up, some unscrupulous firms will say they have to charge more for delivery as they use these lanes to make sure they deliver on time. (Thinking about companies like Tesco who refuse to accept deliveries if they are not there by a certain time, hopefully with all their clout Tesco would refuse such increases.) We are going to be screwed by Cameron, just like his idol Thatcher did with the water and rail privatisation.

 

or... the Tesco Foundation take over some big routes and develop them beyond your imagination?

 

 

Would certain types of advertising be wangled?

[hard2miss]

No money will actually change hands, they will just give China the roads to run and wipe some debt off.

 

Then it will be coin slots on slip roads and cameras everywhere.

[Guest sibon]

I've driven pretty extensively on the continent and always found the toll roads to be good value.

 

If we can come up with a scheme that improves the road network and gives drivers a choice, then I'm all for it. If you don't want to use the French toll roads, there is always a cheaper, but slower alternative. That could happen here too.

 

If we just end up creating a few priority lanes and screwing up the M1 even more, then that is political suicide.

[tinfoilhat]

It is the same pot and at present we have complete control over how we spend it. What Cameron is suggesting is a big change - the first step in losing control over how the spend is distributed. Ouch!

 

It seems mental to refuse to kow-tow to Europe one month then sell our hides to China the next.

 

There are of course other options but this is a typical 'no other option' Tory sell. Only an idiot wouldn't question it.

 

True but only an idiot would dismiss it because it's a Tory idea.

 

I'm not saying I agree with it, far from it - the day tolls go on the major roads like the m1 is the day I close my business and either sign on or emigrate - but the current situation is bad and getting worse. Obviously city centres will still be congested, maybe even more and that won't change unless you level large chunks of them and build out - that won't happen.

 

The problem, like the Nhs and many other things is numbers. We have too many people.

[hard2miss]

I've driven pretty extensively on the continent and always found the toll roads to be good value.

 

If we can come up with a scheme that improves the road network and gives drivers a choice, then I'm all for it. If you don't want to use the French toll roads, there is always a cheaper, but slower alternative. That could happen here too.

 

If we just end up creating a few priority lanes and screwing up the M1 even more, then that is political suicide.

 

Now if they built new roads as an alternative then charged on those it would be different, but I'm guessing they will take over existing infrastructure so won't make the slightest bit of difference.

If it was that easy to build roads without all the legal wrangling that goes on trying to procure the land and satisfying green belt lobbyists, then the Government would have invested years ago.

 

This will just be like the railways where they cant do any more with them than what they actually are doing, the only difference will be we will be charged. There can be no competition in it, just as in the rail, but just be bided on to who runs what and that in itself creates problems with people putting in lower bids that are not practically feasible to win contracts and then asking the tax payer to bail them out while trying to maintain profit for investors.

 

This will be a **** up of epic proportions if not handled right and I don't blame anyone for not wanting to take the gamble and objecting to the idea.

[andygardener]

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/politics-headlines/cameron-unveils-passing-of-enormous-buck-201203195020/

 

Nails it.

[laineyiow]

I don't think toll roads will solve anything. All people will do is go on alternative routes as they do with the "M6". The M6 Toll road is hardly used which isn't surprising really as it costs £5.50 to drive on it!

 

There is always congestion on the "M6" but drivers much prefer to put up with that then to pay stupid prices on a toll road.

[Mecky]

Why Rich? What points do you disagree with? And bear in mind you have to read the entire proposal and not just a DM or DE headline that says "ALL ROADS TO BE TOLL ROADS"

 

That has to be the poorest attempt at trolliing I've ever seen

[perplexed]

I've driven pretty extensively on the continent and always found the toll roads to be good value.

 

If we can come up with a scheme that improves the road network and gives drivers a choice, then I'm all for it. If you don't want to use the French toll roads, there is always a cheaper, but slower alternative. That could happen here too.

 

If we just end up creating a few priority lanes and screwing up the M1 even more, then that is political suicide.

 

I've drived extensively in Europe too, and I'd say the above is a fair assesment of how it works. I find French roads to be of a high standard generally. The only thing I would say, particularly in regards to France, is that they've got more elbow room to build roads due to the size of the country.

[Darth Vader]

Except that they don't sum it up.

 

There's one common denominator - ripping people off for as much as they can get away with.