Do you use a toll bridge?
My wife has just set off for a few days to visit relatives in South Wales and, before she left, she checked out online the current charge for the new Severn Bridge. This set me thinking about the prevalence of toll bridges.
When I was in full-time employment, I often used a little toll bridge in Oxfordshire. The Swinford Bridge actually dates back to 1769.
Wikipedia provides a non-exhaustive list of toll bridges around the world. According to this compilation, there are over 20 toll bridges in the UK.
Most toll bridges appear to be in the United States and Canada which I guess is understandable give the geographic size and political culture of those countries.
Do you use a toll bridge?
November 8th, 2010 at 10:13 am
As we live in Herefordshire,the Severn bridges feature quite heavily in our travel paths. When I was driving to Bristol frequently, I regularly calculated the economics of using it compared to driving round through Gloucester, based on the price of fuel, additional miles and the price being charged to cross the bridge. Over a period of years the break even point swung between points 10 miles east of where we live and 6 miles west.
Since the introduction of a one way toll crossing into Wales, I admit to using it in the free direction and returning via Gloucester!
November 8th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
The three billy goats gruff use a…oh, sorry. I misread the question.
November 9th, 2010 at 12:29 am
Philip’s comment was too subtle for me and I had to seek an explanation which was as follows:
“Not often accused of being subtle! It will all come back to you when grandparenting and having to tell the classics over and over again.
Who lives under the bridge that the three billy goat gruffs cross? A troll. And your question on your blog posting was…
It does lose something in the explaining though.”