puffernutter

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!

Dougal

puffernutter wrote:

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

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

SteveG

puffernutter wrote:
> 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!

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 :-(

--
Regards

Steve G

Huw

"puffernutter" <peter@nospampuffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote in message
news:%7%of.4270$Og1.3822@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>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?
>

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

Dougal

Huw wrote:

> "puffernutter" <peter@nospampuffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:%7%of.4270$Og1.3822@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
>>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?
>>
>
>
> 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

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:
http://www.m6toll.co.uk/pricing/vehicleclass.asp

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

Dave Liquorice

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 21:15:09 +0000, Dougal wrote:

>> I was advised to remove it before I came through next time (if I
>> only want to pay £4.80)
>
> Do just that - but right in front of the toll booth, take your time
> and craete as much disruption as possible.

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...

--
Cheers new5pam@howhill.com
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Larry

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


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes


"Dave Liquorice" <new5pam@howhill.com> wrote in message
news:nyyfbegfubjuvyypbz.irobvt0.pminews@news.howhill.com...
On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 21:15:09 +0000, Dougal wrote:


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...

--
Cheers new5pam@howhill.com
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Larry

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


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes


"Huw" <hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
news:40jhjeF1a8vc1U1@individual.net...
>
>
> 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
>
>

Dougal

Huw wrote:
> "puffernutter" <peter@nospampuffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:%7%of.4270$Og1.3822@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
>>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?
>>
>
> 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

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.

http://www.severnbridge.co.uk/toll_prices.shtml

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!

Huw

Dougal wrote:
> Huw wrote:
>> "puffernutter" <peter@nospampuffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote in message
>> news:%7%of.4270$Og1.3822@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>>
>>> 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?
>>>
>>
>> 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
>
> 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.
> http://www.severnbridge.co.uk/toll_prices.shtml
>
> Based on that there may be arguments over 'commerciality' and side
> windows but the bonnet-mounted spare wheel shouldn't enter into the
> discussion.

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



>
> As usual it's a shambles!

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