Taxi Driver Online

I had a phone call today from a chap who works for the Dartford crossing to explain the reasons why they do not issue receipts. Basically I think it was just bull but he did tell me some interesting points.
Firstly the charge is not a toll because that would be illegal. The people who built the tunnel and bridge were initially allowed by government legislation to re-coup the cost by charging a toll but this sum had been raised in 2003. Since then it has been a "road usage charge". This was implemented because had the crossing become free, as promised when the tunnel was built, it was felt that every man and his dog would be using it just for the sake of it.
Sometime this year the cost for using the crossing is to go up from £1.00 to £1.50 for a car but if you have a "Dart-Tag" you will get a 33% discount so the charge will go back to £1.00. These tags are not vehicle specific and in fact some of the big company's have a box full in reception and drivers just pick one up when they go on a job.
I asked if it were possible for an association to apply for several tags to issue to members and there didn't seem to be any legal reason why not. Although he did say that they would expect a reasonable usage from each tag. He did say that the management are aware that they will get more requests for receipts when the charge goes up and they do think a time will come when receipts will be issued "on request" but not in the near future. He seemed to suggest that this would happen sooner if people kept asking for them because by the time the usual scenario has taken place, "can I have a receipt" "I'm sorry we don't issue receipts.""you don't issue receipts, why not?" and so on, it would be quicker to install a machine so that when someone requests a receipt, the person just presses a button and a receipt is printed.

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Grandad,

couldn't they just have a nice big pile of preprinted receipts that they could hand over to anyone who asks? It wouldn't take any longer and would save them a lot of arguing with drivers who want one.

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Southampton's Itchen toll bridge issue their receipts with a thankyou and a great big smile!

They are issued on request and are printed extremely quickly with no delay whatsoever.