UK’s ‘first private toll road in a century’ being investigated

What is thought to be the first private road in the UK for 100 years has been opened by a businessman in a bid to avoid the hour-long diversion around road works on the key route between the cities of Bristol and Bath, south-west England.
August 5, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

What is thought to be the first private road in the UK for 100 years has been opened by a businessman in a bid to avoid the hour-long diversion around road works on the key route between the cities of Bristol and Bath, south-west England.

Mike Watts spent £150,000 (US$250,000) to build the 400m gravel road in just three days to enable traffic to negotiate the A431 Kelston Road, which has been closed since February because of a landslide. He estimates it will cost another £150,000 to run the toll road for five months.

With motorists paying £2 each ($3.40) way to use the road, it will need to attract 1,000 cars a day if it is to break even.

Watts told newspapers: “Building a toll road isn’t easy to do: this is the first private road in Britain for 100 years. I think people are very grateful that we have taken this risk.”

However, Bath and North East Somerset Council predict the section of the A431 will be open again by Christmas, and has launched an investigation into the toll road, claiming it does not have planning permission and could be dangerous.

“This remains an active landslide, which could move without warning. In the absence of any information from the toll road promoters the council has concerns about the impact of traffic loading on the land above the slip,” said the council in a statement.

“The council is not in a position to support the temporary road option as we have not been provided with any evidence/information to support the application. A temporary toll road requires planning permission and no application has been received.

“In view of public concerns the council’s planning enforcement team is currently investigating this matter. The council has no details to confirm the toll road design meets safety standards and no evidence that insurances are in place for any member of the public who use the private toll road.”

The council added that it had considered a bypass road on the south side of the closure, where it would not increase loading above the landslip, but this was not viable.

Related Content

  • Eurobitume Congress: Prague promises
    June 22, 2016
    Held every four years, the Eurasphalt and Eurobitume congresses have a reputation for revealing developments that will shape the future of bitumen use on Europe’s roads. This year’s event in Prague promises to uphold that reputation. By Kristina Smith The list of locations for the Eurobitume and Eurasphalt (E&E) Congresses reads like a traveller’s dream itinerary: Strasbourg, Barcelona, Vienna, Copenhagen, Istanbul. Now the beautiful city of Prague has been added to the list. Between 1-3 June, presenter
    Read More
  • New route slashes HGV Carlisle city centre through traffic by over third
    August 17, 2012
    The number of Heavy Goods Vehicles travelling through Carlisle’s city centre is estimated to have been reduced by more than a third since the new multi-million euro Carlisle Northern Development Route opened in February 2012.
    Read More
  • bC India exhibition proves popular
    November 30, 2012
    Major equipment manufacturers have signed up for bC India 2013 for the first time with space for the event running out. Despite extending the available exhibition space to 150,000m² (2011: 88,000m²) bC India 2013 is already almost fully booked. Thomas Löffler, chief executive officer bC Expo India, says: “Many companies have booked more space than at the first event. That shows the high regard bC India already enjoys among exhibitors.” JCB has been attracted to bC India 2013 as a first-time exhibitor.
    Read More
  • Zipping up road lanes – with Barrier Systems
    September 10, 2018
    QMB has a Lindsay Road Zipper on duty near Montreal. World Highways deputy editor David Arminas climbed aboard As vice president of Canadian barrier specialist QMB, based in Laval, Quebec, Marc-Andre Seguin is sanguine about the future for moveable barriers. On the one hand, it looks good. The oft-stated advantage of moveable barriers is that the systems are cheaper to install than adding a lane or two to a highway or bridge. Directional changes to lanes can boost volume on a road without disrupting tra
    Read More

Highlighted Content