Telepeage when towing

[tonyv]

I've had my telepeage gizmo for over a year now, and it's been wonderful on my solo treks through France. It is my understanding that it is calibrated for a class 1, i.e. solo car, and should be presented at the peage when towing a caravan or trailer. I've just returned to the UK with my caravan, and found that the ticket machines wouldn't issue me with a ticket, and with one exception, the peage operators just waved me through. The exception was a chap who was presumably new to the job, and had to refer to his supervisor to sort things out, but he got there in the end.

So, does anyone know the rules? Obviously I can't go barreling through the telepeage lane with a caravan due to the hight restriction, but the other unattended lanes would be available and much quicker. I can't see how the system can figure out that I'm towing, so would I be defrauding the system if I use these?

[dave21478]

I dont know the rules for the telepeage, but I know that some, if not all, of the machines can detect trailers. When I had a" broken bank card and no cash" incident at a peage a while back, when the attendand came out and sorted things for me, she obviously never spotted my big trailer. Once she let me through, as soon as I rolled just past the box, an alarm sounded. "ah, une remorque....oh, trop tard" she declared, and waved me onwards.

[bixy]

I have certainly used telepeage with a trailer. Never crossed my mind that it wasn't ok. I've seen plenty of French drivers too, going through with trailers.

Mind you, I used to go through the Dartford Crossing auto pay [£1 at the time] with a trailer, but one day I got stopped and had top pay the extra.

Patrick

[tonyv]

Thanks Patrick; that seems to confirm my experience. It would be good to have a definitive answer, though.

I went through the Datford tunnel yesterday with the caravan, fully expecting to have to pay more than the £1.50 car toll, but was pleasantly surprised to just be charged that amount.

[Sunday Driver]

The French péage tariffs are based on vehicle height/weight and the actual charge is determined by sensors located at the toll barrier.

Class 1 - Véhicules ou ensembles roulants de hauteur totale inférieure ou égale à 2 mètres et dont le PTAC est inférieur ou égal à 3,5 tonnes.

Class 2 - Véhicules ou ensembles roulants de hauteur totale supérieure à 2 mètres et inférieure à 3 mètres et dont le PTAC est inférieur ou égal à 3,5 tonnes.

I expect a caravan would trip the height sensor at over 2 metres and therefore you'd be charged the Class 2 rate....[;-)]

 

 

 

[tonyv]

Thanks, SD, that's just the information I'm looking for.

It looks like I've been worrying needlessly. I should have more faith in the system.