All Automatic (unattended) Peages

[Deimos]

Am I right in thinking that some motorway junctions are now only automatic – i.e. unattended. Last time I used the new A28 (or rather left the new A28) there did not appear to be any booths for an exit where you could pay a person. Only peages where you pay coins or CB.

The reason I wonder is (apart from the need to have change) I notice there is now what looks like another junction being built on the old section A28 and wonder if the “automatic only” peages (if they do that) are enabling more junctions to be provided at lower running cost (i.e. no salaries for all the people who might spend most of their time waiting on a quiet junction.

Ian

[Ron Avery]

Never seen an un-manned pay peage on an Autoroute yet Ian, perhaps they had the shades drawn[:)] There used to be one on the A20 near Cahors where you used to only be able to join and therefore took a ticket.

[Robbie34]

The toll at Souillac on the A20 is often unattended and you can only pay by credit card. 

The last junction on the A26 near St Omer did not have a pay booth at all in 2002, and again it was a credit card payment.  I got stuck here behind a couple of motorhomes who couldn't use the facilities and nearly missed my ferry.

[Anton Redman]

As above had a very short exchange just South of Calais with a British couple heading North and trying to rejoin the autoroute North of the last peage barrier. Pointed out that 1,40 for their toll was a lot cheaper than 15,00 for a revised booking

[Andrewjspencer]

I believe the companies managing the autoroutes have announced plans for introducing unattended/unmanned peages in many more locations.

When returning from Normandie last week Peage staff were standing outside their cabins handing out leaflets highlighting their campaign to stop this and avoid a large number of redundancies. They also raised issues about safety and service quality being at risk.

[AALENN]

Deimos,

You;re right - there are a number of unattended booths, eg the A28 turnoff for Gace/Argentan in the Orne.  It's not a problem however as there are handy pull-off areas where you can pull off to the side and pay with notes, coins, credit cards, or M-way top-up cards.  All the displays are available in multiple languages including English.  If you have a problem you can contact a live person via intercom from the pay booth, as my sister discovered to her shock one night c.2am, when she heard someone speaking to her and couldn't locate the voice.   She realised afterward it had come from an intercom and there was a monitor from a control station somewhere else on the network.  It works very well in my experience.

And yes, you're right.  Of course it's to do with cost.  Much of the French motorway network is now privatised, and to make a return for their shareholders (many of them English and US financial institutions) they are automating wherever possible (like they are in the UK and US).  Auto tollbooths are much cheaper in the long run - they don't need holidays, sick leave or pensions.  When I'm in the UK I'm an investment banker and I worked on the privatisation of a number of French motorway concessions - having seen the numbers I can tell you for sure that the concessions companies need to cut costs to make a return on the debt mountains they inherited along with ownership of the concessions.   As a regular traveller of the motorways I think 'customers' - ie drivers - get great value for money.  Wait until the UK motorways are privatised - believe me, it's coming - and then compare !

 

[Mpprh]

Hi

I haven't seen any unattended peage control stations.

But, we have one near us that should be one of the first. It has a free section on one side, with a stop all peage 5 km away on the other. The maximum they can collect is 1 Euro for people exiting W/E and 1 Euro for those entering E/W.

Imagine how many 35 hr week people they need to cover the kiosks on each shift on both sides of the road, plus foreman / supervisors / financial control / audit / technical  !

Peter

 

 

 

 

[Cjlaws]

These automatic peages are fine - when they work. Last night friends of ours put their ticket in the caisse at junction 21 on the A16. The machine took their cash, gave the correct change, and retained the ticket. It took a call on the intercom and a 45 minute delay before someone arrived to fix the machine and release them. The employees handing out leaflets have a point.