Showing posts with label Bridge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bridge. Show all posts
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
I have taken flight and moved over to pastures new!
To all my followers,
I have only been "born" a few days ago and already I am moving to pastures new. Don't worry though, I'm not going too far away.
I have discovered that when I made the decision as to which website to construct my blog on, sadly I am afraid to say.... I made the wrong choice and went for blogger (The site you are reading now)
In the few days that I have been a baby blogger, I have realised the limits of this site and now feel the need to export this blog to a more professional and in-depth blogsite.
So I have packed up my blog and taken it over to wordpress.
Please.... please.... please, continue to visit me daily over on wordpress and follow my RSS, Twitter or Facebook profiles.
And, don't forget to contact me if you've got any suggestions, ideas, photo's or comments.
Kind regards and best wishes to you all.
Barry.
Monday, 30 January 2012
M6 Toll Road - Reduction of charges?
I have recently taken the "long walk"... from Norton Canes through Brownhills West and eventually arrived in Brownhills High Street. Along my walk I couldn't help but stop and stare for 5 minutes whilst I was walking across the bridge spanning the M6 Toll Road (Previously known as the Birmingham Northern Relief Road or BNRR).
I was aware of the lack of vehicles using the road from the odd occasion when I have coughed up the hefty price (In the variable region of £4 - £5) and ventured onto the smooth and almost brand spanking new tarmac.
But... when I stood on the bridge and gazed at the open stretch of road, I just could not believe how unused the road was! I am pretty sure I could count on one hand the number of HGV's / lorries that I witnessed using the road. There were approximately 15 to 20 cars, 5 lorries and 2 coaches that went under the bridge in roughly 2 minutes.
I believe that some common sense should be used and allow the road to be used for it's intended purpose... reduce congestion on the M6 motorway. For a long time now I believe that if the prices were reduced by at least half for all types of vehicles then surely the increase in the volume of traffic using the toll would allow to make up the lost revenue from charging higher prices.
Am I the only person who is thinking this makes sense?
I understand that the management of the toll road must surely have considered this thought and must have concluded that this pricing structure that is currently being implemented is the most profitable.
But the fact remains that the M6 is currently heavily congested on a daily basis and the road that was designed & constructed specifically to provide a solution to this problem is virtually empty... during every day of its existence so far, compared to the M6.
Finally... I would just like to make reference to the prices of the road, for car & van owners compared to the original price of £2 for cars and £5 for vans back in December 2003. These prices have more than doubled to £5.30 and £10.60 respectively... whereas the HGV Class 5's paid £10 in 2003 and still pay £10 in 2012 although with a 60 pence increase. (All these prices are peak time use i.e 06:00 to 23:00)
I understand with inflation all prices rise during a number of years but surely with the current state of the world finances then it would make sense to reduce the cost to use the road and attract more business... thus possibly increasing profits? Maybe I am not in possession of all the facts and figures or in a position to comment professionally but the bottom line is common sense is the key to resolving all issues in life.
Barry.
I was aware of the lack of vehicles using the road from the odd occasion when I have coughed up the hefty price (In the variable region of £4 - £5) and ventured onto the smooth and almost brand spanking new tarmac.
But... when I stood on the bridge and gazed at the open stretch of road, I just could not believe how unused the road was! I am pretty sure I could count on one hand the number of HGV's / lorries that I witnessed using the road. There were approximately 15 to 20 cars, 5 lorries and 2 coaches that went under the bridge in roughly 2 minutes.
 |
| M6 Toll Road - North View - Small amount of vehicles using the road. |
I believe that some common sense should be used and allow the road to be used for it's intended purpose... reduce congestion on the M6 motorway. For a long time now I believe that if the prices were reduced by at least half for all types of vehicles then surely the increase in the volume of traffic using the toll would allow to make up the lost revenue from charging higher prices.
Am I the only person who is thinking this makes sense?
I understand that the management of the toll road must surely have considered this thought and must have concluded that this pricing structure that is currently being implemented is the most profitable.
But the fact remains that the M6 is currently heavily congested on a daily basis and the road that was designed & constructed specifically to provide a solution to this problem is virtually empty... during every day of its existence so far, compared to the M6.
 | |
|
I understand with inflation all prices rise during a number of years but surely with the current state of the world finances then it would make sense to reduce the cost to use the road and attract more business... thus possibly increasing profits? Maybe I am not in possession of all the facts and figures or in a position to comment professionally but the bottom line is common sense is the key to resolving all issues in life.
Barry.
Saturday, 28 January 2012
South Staffordshire Railway Line
 |
| "Pelsall Old Railway Bridge" - This bridge used to carry the old Walsall to Lichfield South Staffordshire Railway Line. |
I am planning on taking more photographs of local structures such as in the photo above. It is a great shame that these landmarks of history in the local area are falling away into time... without being captured on film for generations to look back on.
If there is anybody who has old photographs of the same photo's that I post on here but in their former glory then please comment or contact me. I am very eager to build a collection of the past and present to preserve these structures in the online digital world.
Barry.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)