Written evidence from Toll Text International
Limited
The spread of toll charges over the largest
possible number of toll facility users makes for greater equity
for all. The increased efficiency of the toll operation reduces
the operation costs allowing the charges to be kept to a commercial
minimum. The most significant element of toll operations relate
to the collection charging point or barrier cash pay post. This
presents a significant Health &Safety risk to toll personnel
and vehicle occupants. The security risk and costs associated
with cash transactions of the volume associated with such operations
is large. The requirement of barrier operations bring traffic
to a halt is undesirable for all the obvious reasons. These can
all be avoided by making the operations barrier free overnight
with the introduction of a new toll payment method.(5STAR) This
method is simple and effective with the following features: no
account is required; no financial data is required; no personal
data is required and no preregistration is required. The system
includes free reminders to previous users of the payment method
on the next occasion the toll charge is incurred. This solution
has already been advised to the company secretary of the operator
of the toll on the Severn but no reply or expression of interest
or acknowledgment has been expressed as of yet.
The solution operation is set out in an animation
which can be viewed on UTube (toll payment mobile cell text 5STAR)
and on www.5text.co.uk which is embedded with explanatory operation
for the M50 barrier free operation in Dublin Ireland. These apply
equally to the Severn. This solution has been the subject of operational
testing and has passed with flying colours with seven hundred
and fifty transactions per minute achieved. The advantages to
this are innumerable and worth a controlled evaluation on the
Severn Crossing.
October 2010
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