Tyne Tunnel tolls

The study of British and Irish roads - their construction, numbering, history, mapping, past and future official roads proposals and general roads musings.

There is a separate forum for Street Furniture (traffic lights, street lights, road signs etc).

Registered users get access to other forums including discussions about other forms of transport, driving, fantasy roads and wishlists, and roads quizzes.

Moderator: Site Management Team

User avatar
Big L
Deputy Site Manager
Posts: 7517
Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 20:36
Location: B5012

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Big L »

Chris5156 wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 16:13
Chris Bertram wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 11:15
KeithW wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 09:45 The Severn Crossings are the responsibility of the Welsh Government.
Hang on, the Severn Crossings are also Highways England, aren't they?
Yes, and they're also not tolled.
Neither is the Forth crossing. On a technicality, the Dartford crossings aren’t either.
Make poetry history.

Did you know there's more to SABRE than just the Forums?
Help with maps using the new online calibrator.
Add your roads knowledge to the SABRE Wiki.
SteveA30
Member
Posts: 6017
Joined: Fri May 06, 2005 12:52
Location: Dorset

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by SteveA30 »

If you can post on SABRE then you can make an online payment.
It isn't a technical problem, it's a dislike of everything becoming remote, intrusive and complicated as well. Jobs are lost along the way also. Handing over cash is just so much easier, anonymous and instant. (or a big bin like they had/have at the Mersey tunnel IIRC)
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
User avatar
Chris Bertram
Member
Posts: 15744
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2001 12:30
Location: Birmingham, England

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Chris Bertram »

SteveA30 wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 21:30
If you can post on SABRE then you can make an online payment.
It isn't a technical problem, it's a dislike of everything becoming remote, intrusive and complicated as well. Jobs are lost along the way also. Handing over cash is just so much easier, anonymous and instant. (or a big bin like they had/have at the Mersey tunnel IIRC)
Actually, it was chucking a pound coin into the hopper on a trip through the Tyne Tunnel (the toll was £1 at the time) that alerted me that it was a dud - it was rejected repeatedly, and after the third time of trying I had to ask my aunt, a passenger on our trip to Cragside, to sub me one, which worked. I later managed to spend the dud coin over the counter somewhere.
“The quality of any advice anybody has to offer has to be judged against the quality of life they actually lead.” - Douglas Adams.

Did you know there's more to SABRE than just the Forums?
Add your roads knowledge to the SABRE Wiki today!
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Try getting involved!
brummie_rob
Member
Posts: 1538
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 00:16

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by brummie_rob »

SteveA30 wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 21:30
If you can post on SABRE then you can make an online payment.
It isn't a technical problem, it's a dislike of everything becoming remote, intrusive and complicated as well. Jobs are lost along the way also. Handing over cash is just so much easier, anonymous and instant. (or a big bin like they had/have at the Mersey tunnel IIRC)
It's actually safer to not be hauling cash to banks. Most independant companies are switching to card to avoid all the hassle of going.
djw1981
Member
Posts: 1803
Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 00:07
Location: Falkirk

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by djw1981 »

KeithW wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 09:45
A303Chris wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 09:17 I have not got a problem with this, but as I said on the FB post on the subject, why cant we have a national system like the French which covers all toll tunnels and bridges instead of having separate accounts for each one, you can add LEZ's to that as well.

I have a small box in my car which covers all autoroutes in France (there are 5 operators I think), toll bridges, tunnels and last time in 2019 even some car parks.

Is it to much to ask to do that here?

Well for one thing they have different owners in different countries. Lets look at some examples.

The Tyne Tunnel is owned by the North East Combined Authority and operated by a concessionaire https://www.tt2.co.uk/
The Dartford Crossing is owned by the Department for Transport and operated by Highways England.
The Forth Crossing is owned by the Scottish Government and operated by Highways Scotland.
The Severn Crossings are the responsibility of the Welsh Government.

Then of course the LEZ and Congestion Charge are under the control of Transport for London.

There you have it - devolution in action.
Minor point, Forth Replacement (Queensferry Crossing) is not tolled, and it's operated by Amey on behalf ofTransport Scotland.
User avatar
JammyDodge
Member
Posts: 484
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2018 13:17

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by JammyDodge »

SteveA30 wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 21:30
If you can post on SABRE then you can make an online payment.
It isn't a technical problem, it's a dislike of everything becoming remote, intrusive and complicated as well. Jobs are lost along the way also. Handing over cash is just so much easier, anonymous and instant. (or a big bin like they had/have at the Mersey tunnel IIRC)
I'm the exact opposite when it comes to cash. I hate the stuff
When it comes to paying, if you can't accept card, I'm not interested as I don't carry cash. The only time I do is when I get given it, and even then I deposit it ASAP. The last time I used an ATM was in 2016
Designing Tomorrow, Around the Past
Bendo
Member
Posts: 2261
Joined: Sat Aug 11, 2007 02:52
Location: Liverpool

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Bendo »

SteveA30 wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 21:30
If you can post on SABRE then you can make an online payment.
It isn't a technical problem, it's a dislike of everything becoming remote, intrusive and complicated as well. Jobs are lost along the way also. Handing over cash is just so much easier, anonymous and instant. (or a big bin like they had/have at the Mersey tunnel IIRC)
Having previously worked on the Wirral for about 3 years, I can tell you that you would soon get tired of using cash with the queues it causes having to stop and frequently getting stuck behind the idiot with no money or the moron that misses the bin and then spends 3 mins trying to find it under his car.
User avatar
Mark Hewitt
Member
Posts: 31412
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:54
Location: Chester-le-Street

Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Mark Hewitt »

It also depends on your definition of 'instant'. Sure it requires maybe 5 minutes (if you're slow) of setting up before or after as a one time thing.

Or you're comparing driving up to a barrier. Stopping. Putting in £1.90 (assuming you've counted out £1.90 in change and had it ready the entire time). Waiting for the barrier to raise. Driving off. Now times that by thousands of cars every day.

Compared with driving through at 30/40mph.
Last edited by Mark Hewitt on Wed Aug 25, 2021 07:10, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Mark Hewitt
Member
Posts: 31412
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:54
Location: Chester-le-Street

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Mark Hewitt »

Bendo wrote:
SteveA30 wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 21:30
If you can post on SABRE then you can make an online payment.
It isn't a technical problem, it's a dislike of everything becoming remote, intrusive and complicated as well. Jobs are lost along the way also. Handing over cash is just so much easier, anonymous and instant. (or a big bin like they had/have at the Mersey tunnel IIRC)
Having previously worked on the Wirral for about 3 years, I can tell you that you would soon get tired of using cash with the queues it causes having to stop and frequently getting stuck behind the idiot with no money or the moron that misses the bin and then spends 3 mins trying to find it under his car.
That's been me before! At one of those coin token car park things. Managed to drop the coin down the side of the drivers seat rather than actually put it in the slot. Took 15 minutes of grappling with the darkest inaccessible recesses of my Ford Fiesta!
doebag
Member
Posts: 2311
Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 11:47
Location: Wisbech, Cambs

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by doebag »

brummie_rob wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 22:14 It's actually safer to not be hauling cash to banks. Most independant companies are switching to card to avoid all the hassle of going.
That's a reason/excuse used by many local authorities for car park machines that don't give change. Members of staff do not have to empty/replenish them and carry large amounts of coinage leaving them vulnerable to robbery.
User avatar
Mark Hewitt
Member
Posts: 31412
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:54
Location: Chester-le-Street

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Mark Hewitt »

doebag wrote:
brummie_rob wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 22:14 It's actually safer to not be hauling cash to banks. Most independant companies are switching to card to avoid all the hassle of going.
That's a reason/excuse used by many local authorities for car park machines that don't give change. Members of staff do not have to empty/replenish them and carry large amounts of coinage leaving them vulnerable to robbery.
More like a couple of reasons. The mechanisms to store and dispense change are complex and hence expensive.

It can't be guaranteed that for any given purchase there will be sufficient change available in the correct denominations.
User avatar
Bryn666
Elected Committee Member
Posts: 35755
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 20:54
Contact:

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Bryn666 »

Mark Hewitt wrote: Wed Aug 25, 2021 09:43
doebag wrote:
brummie_rob wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 22:14 It's actually safer to not be hauling cash to banks. Most independant companies are switching to card to avoid all the hassle of going.
That's a reason/excuse used by many local authorities for car park machines that don't give change. Members of staff do not have to empty/replenish them and carry large amounts of coinage leaving them vulnerable to robbery.
More like a couple of reasons. The mechanisms to store and dispense change are complex and hence expensive.

It can't be guaranteed that for any given purchase there will be sufficient change available in the correct denominations.
This is why I argued regularly at the two councils I worked at that parking charges have to be an amount people are likely to have in change, so £2.70 is stupid whilst £3 is more feasible. If people are paying £3 anyway because of no change...
Bryn
Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already.
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.

Blog - https://showmeasign.online/
X - https://twitter.com/ShowMeASignBryn
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BrynBuck
jabbaboy
Member
Posts: 358
Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 09:25
Location: Newcastle

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by jabbaboy »

Mark Hewitt wrote: Wed Aug 25, 2021 07:10 It also depends on your definition of 'instant'. Sure it requires maybe 5 minutes (if you're slow) of setting up before or after as a one time thing.

Or you're comparing driving up to a barrier. Stopping. Putting in £1.90 (assuming you've counted out £1.90 in change and had it ready the entire time). Waiting for the barrier to raise. Driving off. Now times that by thousands of cars every day.

Compared with driving through at 30/40mph.
Not mentioning the congestion Southbound at rush hour which can add 10 minutes because there's too many toll booths trying to merge.

It's about time they done it imo. Just leaves the issue with the Jarrow Northbound merge which is starting to cause problems at peak times which isn't an easy fix because of the abnormal loads lay-by / tunnel itself.
Fenlander
Member
Posts: 7801
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2010 21:54
Location: south Lincolnshire

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Fenlander »

Bryn666 wrote: Wed Aug 25, 2021 09:51
Mark Hewitt wrote: Wed Aug 25, 2021 09:43
doebag wrote:
That's a reason/excuse used by many local authorities for car park machines that don't give change. Members of staff do not have to empty/replenish them and carry large amounts of coinage leaving them vulnerable to robbery.
More like a couple of reasons. The mechanisms to store and dispense change are complex and hence expensive.

It can't be guaranteed that for any given purchase there will be sufficient change available in the correct denominations.
This is why I argued regularly at the two councils I worked at that parking charges have to be an amount people are likely to have in change, so £2.70 is stupid whilst £3 is more feasible. If people are paying £3 anyway because of no change...
Saw a sign on a car park machine the other day that said something like “no change given, overpayment accepted”.

I’m told by a local councillor that the overpayment isn’t treated as part of the payment on the books as it over states the figures, instead it’s basically treated as a donation so gets allocated to a different pot.
Glenn A
Member
Posts: 9776
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 19:31
Location: Cumbria

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Glenn A »

Mark Hewitt wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 08:07 The Tyne Tunnel have officially announced they are implementing open road ANPR rolling in November.

Payment being made on app or website, pre-paid or pay until midnight the day after or cash at Pay Point.

Cue a lot of comments saying how it's insane and unfair and they are doing doing it so they can fine people.
I would sooner they have the option of pre payment or the toll booths. It would be quite easy for someone elderly or unfamiliar to the area to forget to pay, unless they only send out a warning letter for the first offence.
User avatar
Mark Hewitt
Member
Posts: 31412
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:54
Location: Chester-le-Street

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Mark Hewitt »

Glenn A wrote:
Mark Hewitt wrote: Tue Aug 24, 2021 08:07 The Tyne Tunnel have officially announced they are implementing open road ANPR rolling in November.

Payment being made on app or website, pre-paid or pay until midnight the day after or cash at Pay Point.

Cue a lot of comments saying how it's insane and unfair and they are doing doing it so they can fine people.
I would sooner they have the option of pre payment or the toll booths. It would be quite easy for someone elderly or unfamiliar to the area to forget to pay, unless they only send out a warning letter for the first offence.
They do have pre payment accounts. In fact they are the same as they've been using for years.
User avatar
Mark Hewitt
Member
Posts: 31412
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:54
Location: Chester-le-Street

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Mark Hewitt »

Open road rolling using ANPR has gone live today. Will be interesting to see how it works out.

The likes of ANPR tolling has been a thing in the likes of London for a long while. But judging by comments people here seem confused by it.

Plus TT2 don't always seem 100% competent in imposing fines.
User avatar
Mark Hewitt
Member
Posts: 31412
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:54
Location: Chester-le-Street

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by Mark Hewitt »

Looking at Facebook apparently long delays this morning. Not clear why.

Traffic is going straight through two toll booths without barriers at I think 20mph limit.

Lots of people complaining about how having 'only two lanes' is ridiculous. Which I don't understand, tunnel is two lanes, A19 is two lanes, why would having more lanes through the plazas do anything other than make things worse?
jabbaboy
Member
Posts: 358
Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 09:25
Location: Newcastle

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by jabbaboy »

Mark Hewitt wrote: Mon Nov 08, 2021 08:32 Looking at Facebook apparently long delays this morning. Not clear why.

Traffic is going straight through two toll booths without barriers at I think 20mph limit.

Lots of people complaining about how having 'only two lanes' is ridiculous. Which I don't understand, tunnel is two lanes, A19 is two lanes, why would having more lanes through the plazas do anything other than make things worse?
Bad signage by the looks of it. On the Northbound they've got temporary signs with A187 North Shields / Wallsend right so everyone for the A19 is getting in the left lane even known you can use both lanes.

Seen a few people winging it's down to one lane, can see the signage on https://www.facebook.com/tynetunnels/vi ... 441793148/ at 37 seconds or so.
User avatar
KeithW
Member
Posts: 19205
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 13:25
Location: Marton-In-Cleveland North Yorks

Re: Tyne Tunnel tolls

Post by KeithW »

Mark Hewitt wrote: Mon Nov 08, 2021 08:32 Looking at Facebook apparently long delays this morning. Not clear why.

Traffic is going straight through two toll booths without barriers at I think 20mph limit.

Lots of people complaining about how having 'only two lanes' is ridiculous. Which I don't understand, tunnel is two lanes, A19 is two lanes, why would having more lanes through the plazas do anything other than make things worse?
People have to jockey to get into them, given that the system is new some infrequent users will still be expecting to pay and of course going through at 20mph means less vehicles can pass that point in an hour than traffic doing 40 in the tunnel. Given the narrowness of the booths I will wager a lot of vehicles will be doing less than 20. Looking at Google Maps with traffic layers on there seems to pretty heavy congestion, Northbound looks to be congested from Leam Lane.

Given that the northbound toll plaza is in Wallsend I would be concerned by the implications of slow moving traffic in the tunnel. Most times I have gone through the tunnel there were at least 4 booths open so my question is why only 2 ? its not as if you have to man them.
Post Reply