Driving Rental Car in Britain-tolls

We are planning a driving tour of Britain next year. From the route that we have planned, I can see that there are some tolls.

In the USA, tolls roads have grown and many people buy an EZ Pass that allows you to drive through a toll gate (your EZ Pass is scanned) and you are either billed later or you pay up front for unlimited tolls.

http://www.rentalcar.net/sem/ez/?refid=RPMSNRCN&refclickid=D:cRental-Car129517315305880029427&query=e%2520zpass&match=e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Sup%257CEZ%257CAll&utm_term=%252Bez&utm_content=EZ%257CAll%257CMain%2520-%2520NoType%2520-%2520NoTheme%257CBroad

Some roads in the USA require such a pass and there is no toll booth to pay cash.

While driving in Britain, will I need to acquire an EZ Pass or something similar, or will I be able to pay at a toll booth in cash?

Good question and driving on the left hopefully will be easy to adjust too.

We are planning a driving tour of Britain next year. From the route that we have planned, I can see that there are some tolls.

 

In the USA, tolls roads have grown and many people buy an EZ Pass that allows you to drive through a toll gate (your EZ Pass is scanned) and you are either billed later or you pay up front for unlimited tolls.

 

http://www.rentalcar.net/sem/ez/?refid=RPMSNRCN&refclickid=D:cRental-Car129517315305880029427&query=e%2520zpass&match=e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Sup%257CEZ%257CAll&utm_term=%252Bez&utm_content=EZ%257CAll%257CMain%2520-%2520NoType%2520-%2520NoTheme%257CBroad

 

Some roads in the USA require such a pass and there is no toll booth to pay cash.

 

While driving in Britain, will I need to acquire an EZ Pass or something similar, or will I be able to pay at a toll booth in cash?

Look at Gov.uk/uk-toll-roads for details of roadtolls this shows only one road a section of the M6 , the other tolls are for bridge crossings , then there is the London congestion charge for driving in central London.Are not a lot of Toll roads in America privately operated, unlike in the UK which are government operated.

There are still very few toll roads in the UK. Mostly it is bridges and tunnels, for example there is a bridge in Southampton, the Itchen Bridge, which has a toll of 50p off peak and 60p during peak hours. That's less than a dollar.

Unless you are travelling over such a bridge very frequently there is no need to do anything but throw the correct coins into the bin at the toll booth. However, the Southampton bridge no longer has any human operators, so if you dont have the exact money you have to throw in more and you won't get change, but its really not a big problem like in Florida where toll roads are a way of life.

As far as driving on the left hand side of the road goes, just remember that the driver should be on the side closest to to the oncoming traffic whilst the passenger should always be nearest the edge of the road or the hard shoulder on a motorway.

Good luck!

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

Most tolls can be paid in cash. There are a few, like the Dartford Crossing on the M25, that have no toll booths, but read the numberplate and charge the car owner if the toll is not paid by phone or online. The rental company will add costs to the toll-plus-penalty so it is best to pay.

Most tolls, like the M6 toll, have toll booths where you can pay with cash or credit card.

Give us an idea of your route and we can give you specific advice.

There's just one significant toll road in the UK, the M6 (T), which is an alternative stretch of the M6 just north of Birmingham, and you can pay by cash or card at a toll plaza.

There are quite a few toll bridges but I think that you can pay at a toll booth at all of them...................except one.

The Dartford Crossing is part of the M25 London orbital road, where it crosses the Thames estuary east of London - a tunnel northbound & a bridge southbound. Googlemaps recognises "Dartford Crossing".

A couple of years ago, the toll booths were closed & you can no longer pay as you cross.

You can pay pay on-line, or by phone, or at a shop with a "payzone" facility. There are quite a few payzone outlets around the country but no, there are none at relevant motorway service stations - that'd be too easy :rolleyes:

I think you can pay up to 24 hours after you cross.

The toll fee is about £2.50 but be aware that fines for non-payment are high & car rental agencies charge a whacking admin fee.

The crossing is free at night.

Fortunately its location means that it rarely appears on cruisers' road trips unless their port is Dover.

https://www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge

There is also the London Congestion Charge for driving into central London - but it's a foolish cruiser who chooses to drive into London :eek:

£11.50 for the day, only charged for entering the zone Monday thru Friday, between 7am & 6pm

Has to be paid in advance by account, or by phone, or on-line, or at numerous shops just outside the zone.

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone

There are mutterings in other large cities about introducing congestion / emissions charges.

Watch this space.

In the meantime those are the only tolls I'm aware of that can't be paid at booths. But I'm not the fountain of all knowledge. ;)

JB :)

There is also the London Congestion Charge for driving into central London - but it's a foolish cruiser who chooses to drive into London :eek:

£11.50 for the day, only charged for entering the zone Monday thru Friday, between 7am & 6pm

Has to be paid in advance by account, or by phone, or on-line, or at numerous shops just outside the zone.

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone

 

JB :)

Just to be clear, the congestion charge applies when driving WITHIN the zone, not just ENTERING, during the operational hours. If your vehicle is already inside the zone and you use it, the charge applies. You can't sneak into the centre of town early and then get a free day driving around, for example :)

All routes entering the zone are covered by cameras but there are also fixed and mobile cameras within the zone to pick up this use.

If your vehicle is already inside the zone and you use it, the charge applies. You can't sneak into the centre of town early and then get a free day driving around, for example

 

Oh buggar :(

JB :D

ps I recall a piece on TV a few years ago that a lot of Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Aston Martins & such were being registered in London as........ taxis!!! :confused::confused:

The reason - taxis were exempt from the congestion charge, and a taxi licence was a lot cheaper than the congestion charge.;)

Thanks for all the help.

As for driving on the left, I did that for three days in 2013 and DW kept reminding me "stay on the left."

OP - if you don't mind sharing, what are the tolls your route planner identified? Easier to be certain we are giving you the best advice!

OP - if you don't mind sharing, what are the tolls your route planner identified? Easier to be certain we are giving you the best advice!

That would take some time to explain, but I do remember on toll bridge going from Bath to Tintern Abbey (then we drive on to Cardiff). The route takes us over the Severn Bridge. I think we will be on the M48.

There are two Severn Crossings; the M48 and the M4. The current toll, which only applies Westbound (into Wales) is £6.60 and can be paid with cash. It is a good plan to have that amount ready in coins, as you can then just drop it into the basket. If you have notes, you have to stop at a manned booth. Most Toll bridges on major roads (Dartford excepted) are much the same.

BTW; in answer to your original question. No, there is no universal method of payment as they are mostly operated by different companies or organisations.

Can you tell me the most direct route (motorway) from LHR to the Cotswolds region, And the route from Cotswolds to Southhampton?

Tolls, mileage and time?

Thanks,

Ron

The start depends where exactly in Heathrow you collect the car - ask the agency for directions to M25 clockwise (which is north-bound at this point).

Clockwise on M25 (signed North, Watford) for about 6 miles, and at Junction 16 take the ramp left (signed M40 West, Birmingham, Oxford) & merge onto M40.

In about 30 miles, at J.8 take the ramp left (signed A40, Oxford, Cheltenham)

Continue on A40, signed Cheltenham for about 9 miles.

After Cutteslowe Roundabout (I think you call them traffic islands) the divided highway becomes a single carriageway, still A40, signed Cheltenham. Just a few hundred yards further on at Wolvercote Roundabout it's straight on (signed A40, Cheltenham) for places like Burford or Bourton-on-the-Water, or the exit after that (signed A44, Evesham) for places like Woodstock, Chipping Norton or Moreton-in-Marsh.

Heathrow airport to Wolvercote Roundabout is about 45 miles, something under an hour.

And a further 15 miles to Burford or 25 to Moreton-in-Marsh.

To Southampton again it depends where in the Cotswolds you start, but probably via Cirencester in the west or Oxford in the east.

From Cirencester to Southampton it's....

A429 southbound to the M4, M4 eastbound to Newbury, A34 southbound to Winchester, M3 southbound to Southampton. 77 miles, something under an hour and a half, all divided highway.

Or from Oxford it's A34 southbound past Newbury to Winchester, M3 southbound to Southampton. 65 miles, something over an hour, all divided highway.

These are the quickest & simplest routes - they sure ain't the prettiest, but from Heathrow it's certainly wise to keep to the motorway as far as Oxford.

No tolls on any of these routes, nor anywhere you're likely to go.

In the Cotswolds there's a toll house on Ha'penny Bridge in Lechlade, but they stopped collecting the half-pence tolls more than a century ago ;)

http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/30f3c1fe1c5a460e9aa9c7f336b2182a/gloucestershire-lechlade-hapenny-bridge-over-the-river-thames-ag3p9a.jpg.

Post whether you're conversant with googlemaps and I can link those routes, but first you really need to decide where in the Cotswolds you'll be lodging.

JB :)

Can you tell me the most direct route (motorway) from LHR to the Cotswolds region, And the route from Cotswolds to Southhampton?

Tolls, mileage and time?

Your best option would be to get roaming enabled on your phone and use the built-in sat nav.

Sent from my XT1072 using Tapatalk

Hire car agencies charge an arm and a leg for satnavs (GPS). Either use your phone as the magnets suggests, or buy a used one locally, with European maps on it. Make sure they are up to date and practice using it before the holiday.

When you get back, sell it on.

I should add that road signage in the UK is among the best in the world. You will easily pick up signs to Oxford from Heathrow, and, so long as you know the road numbers and the names of significant towns on your route, they will be easy to follow. They are all colour coded too: Blue for motorways (M40, M6 etc), Green for major roads (A40, A44 etc) and white for minor (B 4479 etc). There are also brown signs to places of interest.

There are two Severn Crossings; the M48 and the M4. The current toll, which only applies Westbound (into Wales) is £6.60 and can be paid with cash. It is a good plan to have that amount ready in coins, as you can then just drop it into the basket. If you have notes, you have to stop at a manned booth. Most Toll bridges on major roads (Dartford excepted) are much the same.

 

BTW; in answer to your original question. No, there is no universal method of payment as they are mostly operated by different companies or organisations.

Severn Crossing tolls can now be paid by card as well, there are no coin bins at the tolls anymore.

Generally the M48 crossing is quieter.

Hire car agencies charge an arm and a leg for satnavs (GPS). Either use your phone as the magnets suggests, or buy a used one locally, with European maps on it. Make sure they are up to date and practice using it before the holiday.

 

When you get back, sell it on.

 

I should add that road signage in the UK is among the best in the world. You will easily pick up signs to Oxford from Heathrow, and, so long as you know the road numbers and the names of significant towns on your route, they will be easy to follow. They are all colour coded too: Blue for motorways (M40, M6 etc), Green for major roads (A40, A44 etc) and white for minor (B 4479 etc). There are also brown signs to places of interest.

1. Agreed. rent with the car for a two, mebbe three, day trip. For longer than that buy a new or second-hand UK or UK & Europe GPS in the US (eg E-Bay).

Altho it won't pick up a satellite signal until you arrive, you can use the A to B function to programme in destinations, check routes & times, etc.

Sell it on, same way, when you get back home.

2. Yes, road numbers & signs are different to the US.

There's no real logic to the road numbers (most of the low numbers radiate from London) because they're centuries old.

And although a few signs on major roads might include "North", "South", "East" or "West", in the main look for the names of major towns in the direction you want to go.

For instance, in my post I mention following signs "A40 Cheltenham", even though Cheltenham is further than you want to go.

In the US it'd be "A40 (W)".

Until you get the hang of it you probably won't agree with Bob that it's the best in the world, cos "best" is usually the style that you're used to.

Except in France :p

JB :)

1. Agreed. rent with the car for a two, mebbe three, day trip. For longer than that buy a new or second-hand UK or UK & Europe GPS in the US (eg E-Bay).

Altho it won't pick up a satellite signal until you arrive, you can use the A to B function to programme in destinations, check routes & times, etc.

Sell it on, same way, when you get back home.

 

2. Yes, road numbers & signs are different to the US.

There's no real logic to the road numbers (most of the low numbers radiate from London) because they're centuries old.

And although a few signs on major roads might include "North", "South", "East" or "West", in the main look for the names of major towns in the direction you want to go.

 

For instance, in my post I mention following signs "A40 Cheltenham", even though Cheltenham is further than you want to go.

In the US it'd be "A40 (W)".

 

Until you get the hang of it you probably won't agree with Bob that it's the best in the world, cos "best" is usually the style that you're used to.

Except in France :p

 

JB :)

John,

Again, great advice, I appreciate your help. I plan to buy a Garmin or Tom Tom with the USA and UK, use it here before our UK trip.

We had a Navigation system on our rental car for three days in 2013 and it saved our butts a few times, especially driving in a city. The biggest adjustment for me in driving in the UK was the double roundabouts. We have roundabouts in the USA and they are easy to negotiate, but we had to take it slow with the double ones. We thought the UK drivers were generally polite, more like drivers in the southern USA. I hate driving in the NE USA, Boston or the NYC area where people are very aggressive.

We loved the English countryside and are excited about our trip. We are not visiting London this time and most of our trip avoids the large cities, with the exception of York and Cardiff.

I plan to have the GPS as well as printed map quest routes for our planned trips, backed up with a good map. Even if we get lost, it should be a lot of fun.

 

There's no real logic to the road numbers (most of the low numbers radiate from London) because they're centuries old.

There are rules to the road numbering system, but they are not very helpful to an ordinary user

http://www.cbrd.co.uk/articles/road-numbers/

Sent from my XT1072 using Tapatalk

The great thing about having a satnav when touring, is that you can get lost (as in not knowing exactly where you are) but, if you set your hotel as 'home' it is really easy to tell it to find the way back.

I have been researching the choices for gps devices from Tom Tom and Garmin and it seems that finding one with maps of Europe and the USA are going to run minimum $150 with latest models about $199.

Perhaps I can find a used product, just want to make sure the device is for both maps.

There is also the London Congestion Charge for driving into central London - but it's a foolish cruiser who chooses to drive into London :eek:

£11.50 for the day, only charged for entering the zone Monday thru Friday, between 7am & 6pm

Has to be paid in advance by account, or by phone, or on-line, or at numerous shops just outside the zone.

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone

It can be paid in advance, but it can also be paid at any time on the charging day, or at any time until midnight on the next charging day (but at a higher rate). More details here: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/paying-the-congestion-charge

One minor point of detail for those who've paid the congestion charge before: it is no longer possible to pay by text. This used to be my favourite way of paying, because I set it up on my phone so that it took about 10 seconds to do when stopped at an appropriate red light. But by the end, only a few dozen people a day were paying by text, so this channel has now been abandoned.

I have been researching the choices for gps devices from Tom Tom and Garmin and it seems that finding one with maps of Europe and the USA are going to run minimum $150 with latest models about $199.

 

Perhaps I can find a used product, just want to make sure the device is for both maps.

You and I are both behind the times, Papa - my friends use their smart tablets that combine phone with camera & internet & TV & Skype (whatever that is) & GPS, and probably a mini-pizza oven in there as well. ;)

But I'm happy with the thing that sticks on the windshield..............

UK & mainland Europe GPS is normal.

USA & Canada is normal.

But UK & USA isn't normal - it's too much data. I'm surprised it's available, but certainly not surprised by the price.

I don't see the need for one which covers both sides of the Pond :confused:

To buy new in the UK....

UK & Ireland Tom Tom about £80

UK & mainland Europe Tom Tom about £90.

Garmin on average about £10 more, other brands cheaper but not worth having.

http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Browse?s=Promotions&storeId=10151&langId=110&catalogId=25051&mRR=true&c_1=1%7Ccategory_root%7CTechnology%7C33006169&c_2=2%7C33006169%7CSat%2Bnav%2Band%2Bin-car%2Bentertainment%7C33008311&c_3=3%7Ccat_33008311%7CSat%2Bnav%7C33012760&r_001=9%7CPrice%7C30%20%3C%3D%20%3C%3D%20100%7C2

In stacks of other stores too.

On UK E-Bay we've bought second-hand UK/Europe for about £35.

And recently bought a second hand one for Africa for £45, ready for a road-trip in January.

I'm sure that on E-Bay in the USA you can find second-hand - & mebbe new - UK or UK + Europe. :)

Or for about £40 we re-programmed a Tom Tom of Australia to the USA / Canada. So now we have the dulcet Aussie tones of Bruce & Sheila guiding us around America :rolleyes:.

But that's replacing a programme, not adding one.

JB :)

Some rental companies allow you to rent a GPS when you rent a car.