Sunday, October 19, 2014

The World's Cheapest Toll Bridge

If you've spent any amount of time driving a car, particularly in North America or Europe, then chances are you've paid to cross a bridge. Toll bridges have existed for hundreds of years and can be found all over the world. 

Although the data doesn't exist for me to be able to officially prove this, I think I may have found the world's most inexpensive toll bridge: Kingsland Bridge in the town of Shrewsbury, England.

The bridge is thatta way!

The Kingsland Bridge

Spanning the River Severn, this bridge's toll was a whopping 10 pence (roughly 18 Canadian cents) until 2011, when it doubled. Yes, that's right; after remaining unchanged for 25 years, the toll rose overnight to 20p (much to the outrage of a certain 'mark rickards' who felt this was a 'rip off' - if you feel inclined, you can find his comments here. Oh, the trials and tribulations of small town life). To cross the bridge by foot, you face a (non-obligatory of course, as there is no one there to enforce it) charge of 1p.

No, they don't accept credit cards.

The bridge's 'honesty box' for pedestrians

Aw.

I just can't help but find this bridge endearing. I wouldn't say it's overly pretty to look at, nor does it represent any great feat in civil engineering; I guess I just find it kind of comforting that there's still something left in the western world that costs less than a dollar (or, in this case, a pound). Plus, the views from the bridge are gorgeous!







What do you think? Is this the world's cheapest toll bridge, or do you know of an even cheaper one?

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