Toll charges

[swigle]

What category does the Cali fall into for toll charges like Dartford Crossing? It it a car (£1.50) or a small van (£2.00)?

Also what about on the Continent?

(I don't have my Cali yet - picking it up 1st March)

Ta
Steve

 

[jts46]

£1.50 on dartford crossing, in France it is classed as class 1, same as a car

 

[coordinated]

We wondered that too as we approached the Severn Bridge in our hired Cali!

The distinction there seemed to be if it had rear seats, it was a people-carrier not a van...

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

 

[swigle]

Cheers. Hopefully all the 50p's will add up to pay towards the Cali's upkeep!

 

[SimplyDubs]

Been through the Dartford crossing a few times recently and it's oddly inconsistent.

It all depends upon what the machines think. It's normally based upon the height of the vehicle above the front wheels.

Technically though it's not a good vehicle and should be £1.50.

To be honest, you could probably argue it either way but for 50p I wouldn't waste the heartbeats... There's plenty more important things to spend the time on.

M

 

[swigle]

So does that mean the auto-pay booths won't lift if you only pay £1.50? It's just the queues for the manned booths can be horrendous while the auto-pay are normally comparatively queue-free. So it's not really the extra 50p I'm quibbling over, rather the decision as to which queue to join! Or do the auto-pay booths detect 'van' and charge £2?

Steve

 

[silversurfer]

And on French autoroutes, same as a car - even with your bikes sticking up on the back - because the Cali counts as an 'up to 2m high' vehicle.

 

[Anonymous]

I always go through the Dartford auto booths and pay £1.50. I've never had a problem. In France they always ask is it a camper, we have privacy glass!

 

[Calimark]

Hi Silversurfer, how high is the Cali with the bike rack and bikes plus the awning as I am trying to figure out whether my soon to be delivered will fit in my garage. I would have thought that the overall height would be more than 2m ?

 

[wingate_52]

The Severn toll tried to charge commercial rates for our Touran, it was blue not white.

 

[malc]

Re: Toll charges B ham toll road

Went on toll rd last Sat 2 pm and got charged £9.40.... is this right?

 

[calikev]

I'm afraid it is right Its more during the week £10 something. Robbery

 

[swigle]

Malc, it looks as though it's the height that's the reason - over 1.3m puts the Cali into 'Class 4' - along with vans and coaches

http://www.m6toll.co.uk/pricing/vehicle-classification/

Steve

 

[PRANDLES]

Re: M6 Toll charges

M6 Toll - California calibration!
I live in Staffordshire and have been using the M6 Toll since it opened in 2003.
Having recently bought a California, I was gob-smacked by the charges for this vehicle -
£11:00 Mon/Fri 6:00-23:00. The vehicle height is measured by "calibrated" sensors at the centre point of the front axle - vehicles at 1.3m or more fall into class 4. (below 1.3 is class 2) I have attempted to measure this dimension, which to my 'jaundiced' eye is 1.29!
I contacted the private company - Midland Expressway Ltd, to challenge their classification, they stated -

"Unfortunately due to the shape of your vehicle it will fall into a class 4 or a class 2 classification on the M6 Toll Road"
"Whilst I appreciate what you say about your vehicle, because the vehicle is measured as you enter the lane there are a number of factors that can affect that measurement, i.e how you are braking as you enter the lane, how the vehicle is loaded and even the tyre pressures. Due to the vehicle moving at the point of measurement it may not be same on different journeys."
"You may be classified as a Class 2 the next time you use the road but I can not guarantee that."

So - have your Cali lowered, put a bag of wet sand on the bonnet, let your tyres down and brake very heavily - even then, MEL cannot make any guarantees!

Harold&Hilda images/smilies/icon_crazy.gif

 

[Stu]

Crazy!!!

Seems like pot luck.

 

[california180]

Crazy!!!

Seems like pot luck.

Or if you are a CC member go to an assisted lane and show your membership card and save £5.50

Chris

 

[GeoffB]

We too use the M6 toll (to visit relatives) and were shocked to be asked £11 when we pulled up to pay last week, being used to paying £5 for our car. I asked and the lady on the desk why it was so much and she replied "you are a van not a car" so I paid up, vowing to return via Brownhills and never take the Cali on the M6 toll again!

To make things worse we were overtaken as we pulled away from the toll booth by a monstrous Audi 4*4, certainly as long and as wide as Epona and probably as high too, who no doubt paid the car rate.

 

[PRANDLES]

Hi Chris
Could you clarify your previous comment please?
Is the CC membership card you refer to -
California Club - Caravan & Camping Club - Canarian Coalition, Country Casuals
- or non of the above?
Very interested to know!
Thanks
Pete

 

[CaliforniaDAN]

I believe that if you are a member of the caravan club if you show your membership card you pay a reduced rate.

 

[california180]

Hi Chris
Could you clarify your previous comment please?
Is the CC membership card you refer to -
California Club - Caravan & Camping Club - Canarian Coalition, Country Casuals
- or non of the above?
Very interested to know!
Thanks
Pete

Hi Pete :rofl

CC as in Caravan Club

Chris

 

[PRANDLES]

Thanks Chris - will check this out - fingers crossed!

 

[PRANDLES]

Thanks again to Chris for the tip.

Used the CC membership card and paid the Class 2 fee!
However - on this occasion the Cali was registered on the M6 Toll sensors as being Class 2!
On my previous journey, a couple of weeks ago, it was classed as Class 4!
Makes you wonder how accurate their sensing system is!

Pete

 

[syrup1971]

I was charged £11.00 last week. Not happy at all, I will try to avoid at all costs in future.

What really annoys me, is that they don't make it clear what the rules are when you enter.

 

[PRANDLES]

Used the M6 Toll on 26th Aug 2012 - registered as class 4 = £11:00
gave the attendant my Caravan Club card - discounted to £5:50 (class 2)
The attendant then informed me that she thought that this discount arrangement was going to be stopped in " a couple of months. "
I have contacted Caravan Club to query this - no reply as yet.
Pete

 

[hedy1962]

If you are a member of the Caravan Club and you show your membership card to the manned Toll Gate on the M6 you pay the same price as a car. Can confirm this as did it last month.
Hope that helps