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By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com
A news nugget last week from Visordown.com, a motorcycle website in the U.K., got me thinking. It told of a protest by bikers in Wales over a 35 pence toll to cross the Cleddau Bridge in Pembrokeshire, and noted that most toll roads in the U.K. are free to bikers. Yes, free for riders of PTWs (powered two wheelers).
The short story noted that tolls were dropped for riders in some places way back in the 1950s. I can think of several reasons for foregoing tolls for bikes. One, motorcycles are light and don’t wear on the infrastructure like other vehicles. Two, they save gas when compared to cars and lorries (er, trucks). Three, not requiring a toll cuts down congestion at toll booths as riders must stop, take off gloves, reach into pockets for coins, hand them over, put gloves back on, etc.
I’ve only hit a couple of toll booths this riding season, so paying a few dollars isn’t the issue. It’s all about inconvenience and economy. If waiving a toll for motorcyclists in the U.K. to keep traffic moving and as reward for conserving petrol, why not here?
