am I remembering correctly… that the Dartford Tunnel thingy was supposed to be Free once the cost had been recovered… .??? 
but, of course, it’s been kept-on as a money-maker… 
Why suppose that users in France would be any different.
The barrier system works and may not please everyone but as generally a pay as you go system it ensures that customers pay and no debt collecting agencies are required.
As for the Dartford crossing it must accumulate lots of lost revenue as some who rarely use it and dont pay create a small debt that must cost thousands to collect if pursued.
No lots of large profits. As Stella said it was owned and paid for by the tax payer but Mrs T sold it off to Traffalgar house who her husband Dennis was a shareholder.
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I read about one lady who had I think paid online, (dartford tunnel) something hadn’t worked and she was being perused for thousands because the debt collection system had kicked in and the original letters had gone to her mothers who had advanced dementia. I don’t remember the details but knowing you have paid on the spot or had an account means less worry. I’m not very familiar with the dartford system and now try to avoid it at all costs. Problems will be for those that don’t know the system and more likely foreigners. The worry also like Stella said, is those who want to commit fraud at the expense of others.
This is how the M50 operates around Dublin. There are no barriers and you can pay using an electronic tag in your car. If you don’t have the tag, your number plate is taken and you can pay online or via other methods.
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Dennis was also a director of Cable and Wireless (as was). Her government sold C&W the rights to use the beds of all British Waterways canals and rivers for a nomimal sum for reasons no-one could understand at the time.
The canals, note, join nearly all major UK commercial and industrial centres.
The following year, C&W started to lay underwater conduits that would house first copper, then fibre optic cables and create the very valuable infrastructure behind the UK internet.
The C&W share price rocketed, bonuses were doled out and there was jam for tea every day…
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Actually, the cable runs are in the tow paths, not the bed of the canals. It was realised early on that the canal bed was not suitable for the cable with potential issues of dredging, locks and other obstacles.
But they definitely started on the beds - we filmed the process for them! They had to negotiate separately for the towpath access but without letting on why they needed them.
I got caught out with this one many years ago. Chased me to Switzerland. I appealed as there was one sign with the instructions on it. Got the 200 odd euros quashed. I went over a year later and there were signs all along. When we lived there I had a tag to travel from fermoy to cork but this didnt include the M 50.
Not doubting you, just knew from being a canal boat owner that they are under the towpaths
It’s certainly true that there was a huge disconnect at the time between BWB and C&W and its agents…
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Things will change on French Motorways next year when all of the booths will be closed and ANPR (Number Plate Recognition) or tagging will take over.
It looks as if @Corona 's lobbying has worked
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Flippin eck, that’s quick even by my standards 
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I don’t believe the “péage à flux libre” will be everywhere next year, but it is coming. From what I have read, there are test sites in various places already. But at present the A79 between la Saône-et-Loire et l’Allier which entered into service on 4 novembre 2022 is the only one.
In 2024 the A13-A14 between Normandy and Paris will join it and probably the future A69, Toulouse to Castres.
https://www.arval.fr/entreprises/l-autoroute-a-flux-libre-mode-d-emploi.
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I frequently use the A10 peage (last one going south before Bordeaux), and I have a tag. The sign may say 30 and tag only but I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to slow down to let some untagged car reverse out. One reason for not speeding. But the main reason for not speeding - at this toll anyway - is that you have a two lane motorway, then something like 10 or more toll booths and then once the cars are through they are all fighting it out for position on a two lane road again. It’s bad enough just now with some of us going through at 30 and everyone else taking off from stop - add more speed to the equation and you’ll have a crash
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And I forget every time, and end up paying late…