Do we need more toll roads in the uk like they have in france?
The toll roads in France are normally operated by private companies, not the government, the ones in the north mostly in the hands of Sanef. The toll road sounds a good idea. Most of the ones in France rarely experience any congestion, even where there are roadworks. But there are some downsides. The tolls in France are very expensive, charged on the basis of the distance travelled, and more than wipeout any savings on fuel costs. The traffic which is persuaded to not use the toll road because of the prohibitive price is not forced off the road, but forced onto France’s N-road network, which is chronically congested. And of course you have to come to a dead stop at every ticket machine or péage kiosk. And of course, the money simply goes into the hands of Sanef. There are other ways of reducing congestion, like by improving public transport and lowering costs. The high speed rail link from London to Scotland is long overdue. The railways should be in public ownership, with low, afforda
