Itchen Bridge payment system takes its toll

10:42am Wednesday 30th January 2013 in Travel Photograph of the Author By Luke Tugby, Senior reporter

PROBLEMS: A toll booth at the Itchen Bridge. PROBLEMS: A toll booth at the Itchen Bridge.

IT has become one of the most controversial transport schemes ever introduced in Southampton.

The new automated toll system on the city’s Itchen Bridge was slammed by motorists before it was even in place, after council bosses revealed the machines would not issue change.

Complaints then flooded in from owners of larger vehicles and motorhomes, after the new height-based tariff system left them facing increased charges of up to £25 to cross the bridge.

And earlier this month the Daily Echo revealed transport chiefs had removed the automated barriers after they caused traffic chaos and crashed down on four vehicles, including a motorbike.

Now council bosses have admitted there are already plans to overhaul the machines because of difficulties for some people using the new smartcities card payment system, which has been dubbed “a complete shambles” by angry motorists.

Special readers have been installed on the automated payment units, allowing drivers to touch their pre-paid card on the sensor.

But after receiving complaints they were too high, council officials have already tried to lower the readers.

However, they are now planning a more radical overhaul next week because they haven’t been effective enough.

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The cards are the only way disabled drivers will be able to continue to cross the bridge for free once toll booths become fully automated next month.

Sarah Norris, from St Anne’s Road, Woolston, said she had repeatedly been unable to use the reader.

She said: “It appears you need to be six feet tall or own a van or lorry so you can reach.

“What a complete shambles, yet again.”

Geoff Wilkinson, a founder of Southampton’s Shopmobility and member of Southampton Action for Access, said problems with the positioning of the reader could have easily been avoided.

Mr Wilkinson, from Bitterne, said: “If they had done an equality assessment this would have been picked up.

“Had we been kept on board when they purchased that machinery we could have highlighted that problem.

“Think of the thousands of pounds it must have cost.”

A council spokesman admitted there were problems for motorists, but said there had been an incorrect assumption the Spanish-made machines would be the correct height.

He said: “It’s a European standard height, but in Southampton we’ve rightly got a stronger commitment to put in a system that’s fit for purpose for everybody, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

The spokesman said work to change the machines should be completed within a fortnight, but engineers must ensure readers aren’t placed too low for larger cars and vans.

He said: “We will do a modification for the proximity card reader which will involve putting a unit on the front of the machine to bring it out by five inches, and then lower it all by four inches.

“It’s still under warranty because it’s a new system, and there should be no cost to the council.”

Comments(33)

sotonboy84 says...
10:52am Wed 30 Jan 13

So will this work on the machines include re-programming them to give change? The machines can be programmed to give change or not and it was SCC that decided they would not give change.

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SPIKEISLANDTRADER says...
10:53am Wed 30 Jan 13

Typical council **** up , and yet more cost s to Southampton residents who use the bridge regular . So much for PROGRESS from the old floating bridge days !! This is just another CUT , but Southampton city still rake in a nice profit . Boycott the bridge and its new crazy automation system.

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jade25 says...
10:58am Wed 30 Jan 13

More people of of work!

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chapelsaint says...
11:12am Wed 30 Jan 13

jade25 wrote:
More people of of work!
??

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jade25 says...
11:15am Wed 30 Jan 13

I meant more people out of work!!

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Outside of the Box says...
11:18am Wed 30 Jan 13

Seems like a right royal b@lls up

Which administration decided to have these things installed,,, this one or the last one?

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Lone Ranger. says...
11:22am Wed 30 Jan 13

Outside of the Box wrote:
Seems like a right royal b@lls up

Which administration decided to have these things installed,,, this one or the last one?
Is that a retorical question ?

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bazzeroz says...
11:57am Wed 30 Jan 13

And still no mention of how much this 'system' cost. I have use the Smartcity card and thought how easy it would be to accidentally drop it into the coin chute! Makes you laugh though. We're in the EU and all the continental road tolls give change and work fine. Muppets!

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CharlieOxbridge says...
11:59am Wed 30 Jan 13

chapelsaint wrote:
jade25 wrote: More people of of work!
??
Why more people out of work?Somebody would have had to design those machines, build them, install them, they will need to be serviced and the money will have to be collected. Sounds like it has actually created more jobs!

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Maine Lobster says...
12:08pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Genuine concerns were raised in the lead in time to the automation of Itchen Bridge, pursued by the Royston Smith administration but they didn't listen, as usual and have ended up with chaos. Bring back the toll collectors. Simple, more effective and ultimately cheaper.

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bigfella777 says...
12:18pm Wed 30 Jan 13

What's to stop people going out and deliberately time wasting at the machines and causing a tail back?
At the moment they have people in the booths, if you try to give them the toll and you haven't got change they tell you to drive forward and use the machine, if you have the right change the person in the booth will take the toll, it's a disgrace and it's making everyone angry.

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Lockssmart says...
12:18pm Wed 30 Jan 13

I'm itchen to get a go at the toll booth

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Outside of the Box says...
12:20pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Lone Ranger. wrote:
Outside of the Box wrote:
Seems like a right royal b@lls up

Which administration decided to have these things installed,,, this one or the last one?
Is that a retorical question ?
No,,,,I just thought it was the last one

Report this post »

Taskforce 141 says...
12:22pm Wed 30 Jan 13

bigfella777 wrote:
What's to stop people going out and deliberately time wasting at the machines and causing a tail back?
At the moment they have people in the booths, if you try to give them the toll and you haven't got change they tell you to drive forward and use the machine, if you have the right change the person in the booth will take the toll, it's a disgrace and it's making everyone angry.
I for one will be if by chance I do not have the correct change. Often i nip out and may need to cross the bridge and if i get to the toll and it isn't, manned and i don't have the right change, then i apologise to you all in advance, but I'm going to make it perfectly clear that machines cannot replace people...

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bigfella777 says...
12:26pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Also what happens if you are a tourist in a left hand drive vehicle???

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Lone Ranger. says...
12:32pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Outside of the Box wrote:
Lone Ranger. wrote:
Outside of the Box wrote:
Seems like a right royal b@lls up

Which administration decided to have these things installed,,, this one or the last one?
Is that a retorical question ?
No,,,,I just thought it was the last one
Yes it was Smith & Co ...... Another successful legacy

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soton9 says...
12:51pm Wed 30 Jan 13

This system is a nightmare, the time it takes to get through the booths has doubled! Waste of money.

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heyhoo says...
1:30pm Wed 30 Jan 13

All I can say about this is ... you drive so you don't have to waste time waiting on public transport as well as for your independence ... but councils and the government suck you dry at every corner by charging us to park, use a bridge, road tax among other things and I am sure if it was an easy decision a lot of people would give up driving ... Nothing will change of course though as we will just have to keep digging into our pockets so we won't get fined :(

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sass says...
1:31pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Remove the discriminatory tolls from Woolston bridge NOW. No other area of the city has a toll. This is a total disgrace! Rise up sheople.

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CarlyKin says...
1:50pm Wed 30 Jan 13

I use the bridge twice a day in morning and in the evening - in rush hour - have done for many years. This new system has doubled if not tripled the time it takes. The traffic backs up nearly the length of Portsmouth Road to Shell Garage and other routes such as Radcliffe Road etc are also clogged up. Am not looking forward to them being fully automated as believe will take even longer. Also feel sorry for the lovely people who work in the booth that are always friendly and have lost their jobs over this stupid and ridiculous idea! Bad enough it doesn't give change but also cannot use 1p, 2p and 5p. It is an absolute joke and should be taken away completely. The bridge was fine the way it was although do agree don't see why it should still be a toll bridge bearing in mind whole point of charging was to pay for the cost of making the bridge and no doubt that has been paid loads of times over!

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Linesman says...
4:24pm Wed 30 Jan 13

jade25 wrote:
I meant more people out of work!!
I think that is what Royston Smith meant as well.

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Linesman says...
4:25pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Lockssmart wrote:
I'm itchen to get a go at the toll booth
Why? Do you want to be a Test case?

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Linesman says...
4:32pm Wed 30 Jan 13

bigfella777 wrote:
Also what happens if you are a tourist in a left hand drive vehicle???
I imagine that you would first stop your car.

Open your door.

Get out of the car.

Walk round the car, after deciding whether to walk round the front of it or the back.

Check whether you have Sterling, or whether it takes the Euro.

Insert correct amount into receptical.

Retrace steps back to car.

Enter Car

Start engine.

Drive off.

Alternatively, if they have a passenger, they could ask them, either in English or the appropriate language, to open their window and insert cash.

Damned difficult for foreigners, who have toll booths in their country, but situated conveniently for Left Hand Drive vehicles.

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Outside of the Box says...
4:55pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Lone Ranger. wrote:
Outside of the Box wrote:
Lone Ranger. wrote:
Outside of the Box wrote:
Seems like a right royal b@lls up

Which administration decided to have these things installed,,, this one or the last one?
Is that a retorical question ?
No,,,,I just thought it was the last one
Yes it was Smith & Co ...... Another successful legacy
Maybe it was a little retorical,,,,so the Tory supporters can't blame Labour

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IronLady2010 says...
6:06pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Drive around and don't use it if it bothers people so much.

No-one is saying you have to use the toll bridge.

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Lockssmart says...
6:24pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Linesman wrote:
Lockssmart wrote:
I'm itchen to get a go at the toll booth
Why? Do you want to be a Test case?
There goes another rib!

Report this post »

Geo2411 says...
6:35pm Wed 30 Jan 13

bigfella777 wrote:
Also what happens if you are a tourist in a left hand drive vehicle???
Some of the toll lanes have a machine on the left as well as the right. Not sure if they're working or not though.

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Stephen56 says...
7:30pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Other problems that I have noted while using the bridge since the automated system was added.
On cold frosty mornings it is not unusual for door windows to freeze in the runners making them inoperable this has resulted in drivers unable to open the door enough to make a payment because they have to stop so close to the terminal presently I have seen the operators leave the booth to collect payment what will happen when they have gone?
My daughter who lives under the bridge has noted more soot on her washing and windows due to the higher proportion of stationary traffic building up on the bridge,
I have suggested to her that a air quality check by the Environment Agency might be a good idea.

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IronLady2010 says...
7:38pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Stephen56 wrote:
Other problems that I have noted while using the bridge since the automated system was added.
On cold frosty mornings it is not unusual for door windows to freeze in the runners making them inoperable this has resulted in drivers unable to open the door enough to make a payment because they have to stop so close to the terminal presently I have seen the operators leave the booth to collect payment what will happen when they have gone?
My daughter who lives under the bridge has noted more soot on her washing and windows due to the higher proportion of stationary traffic building up on the bridge,
I have suggested to her that a air quality check by the Environment Agency might be a good idea.
More soot on her washing, has she been hanging it outside in the rain and snow?

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huckit P says...
9:02pm Wed 30 Jan 13

What a loa of Luddites you lot are. Toll booths are in operation throughout this country and around the world. Have you ever used the M6 Toll? Does it give change or do you see any major issues? NO. That is because people know they are going to use a toll road and have the appropriate amount of money available, the correct smart card or a credit card (it has more toll booths than the Itchen Bridge). If you don't like the automatic toll booths you can always use Northam Bridge.

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peachy1 says...
6:41am Thu 31 Jan 13

This is actually disgusting we shouldn't have to be paying to go over the bridge it should've been FOC after 10 YEARS which is what they said when they built it .

The sad fact is that the itchen bridge funds bail out the council year after year to the point that they now rely on the money

Disgusting

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boilerman says...
11:40am Thu 31 Jan 13

Can some one please explain why disabled drivers get to use the bridge for free.
Does this discriminate against able bodied drivers.
Please define disabled.
I am all for Disabled people being given the help they need and deserve, but the system is so abused law abiding hard working decent people are having to compensate for fraudsters.

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Vonnie says...
12:33pm Thu 31 Jan 13

boilerman wrote:
Can some one please explain why disabled drivers get to use the bridge for free. Does this discriminate against able bodied drivers. Please define disabled. I am all for Disabled people being given the help they need and deserve, but the system is so abused law abiding hard working decent people are having to compensate for fraudsters.
Please explain your proofs for this kind of statement.

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