Is The End Of Toll Booths Nigh?

You don’t have to tell us that the M25 seems permanently congested these days, what with lane widening, accidents seemingly happening on an hourly basis. The Highways Agency has now announced that they wish to cut congestion by allowing drivers to pay for travelling in advance across the Thames River. However the downside to this is that the cost for using this service will go up.

We all know that stopping to pay a toll fare causes congestion, so from this viewpoint it makes total sense. At The Insurance Factory we hate congestion, we might love cars, but we hate being stuck in them for any length of time. We would much rather be in the office looking at nice pictures of performance cars and getting modified car insurance quotes for our petrol head customers

So next month in October 2014 a new payment system is to be introduced so the booths and barriers will be no more.

How will it affect me?

Fundamentally, the new system plays by the same rules as the congestion charge. You will need to pay either before your trip, or midnight the day after. This can be done either by phone, online payment or at a payzone facility. By using a pre-paid account (similar to Oyster) regular users can save a third. If you fail to pay within this window, there will be enforced penalty charge of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. Much like penalty notices from local authorities. This will go up to £105 for any late payment beyond a 28 day period.

It is reported that the Dartford crossing is one of the most congested areas of the UK. They have reported that this will improve traffic flow and reduce journey times. To pay for this added luxury you will have to stump up an extra 50p if you are driving a car, so the new fee will be £2.50

When is it happening?

No official date has yet been announced for when in October it will go live. More information can be found here about charges, dates and legislation.

The question is, will other toll booths around the UK adopt the same approach? The Severn bridge toll and the M6 toll don’t get the same levels of traffic as the Dartford toll, but seems to good an opportunity to miss.