The standard charge for car drivers using the Dartford Crossing will rise from £2.50 to £3.50 in September. The crossing links the M25 in Essex and Kent. Motorists were first charged to use the bridge and tunnel in 2003 and the charge was last increased in 2014. Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood, in a statement to Parliament, said theroad was used by as many as 180,000 vehicleseach day and the current charge was "no longer sufficient" to manage the demand. Greenwood said there would be "significant" discounts for residents. Car drivers with pre-pay accounts would pay £2.80 per crossing. People driving buses, coaches, vans and other goods vehicles with two axles would pay up to £4.20. Vehicles with more than two axles will be charged up to £8.40. Greenwood said the new charges were "significantly lower" than if they had increased in line with inflation since 2014. "I am aware that these necessary changes to the charges will be unwelcome news for users of the crossing," she said. "These traffic levels are well in excess of the crossing's design capacity, causing delays for drivers using the crossing, congestion and journey disruption to drivers on the M25, and a range of knock-on impacts for local communities." This week, it was announced that theTreasury would give £590mto the Lower Thames Crossing - a new tunnel under the estuary - which would link Tilbury in Essex and Gravesend in Kent. National Highways hopes the new road will reduce traffic at the Dartford Crossing by 20%. Follow Essex news onBBC Sounds,Facebook,InstagramandX.
Dartford Crossing charge to increase for motorists
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"Dartford Crossing Charges to Increase for Motorists in September"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
The Dartford Crossing, a vital link between Essex and Kent, will see its standard charge for car drivers increase from £2.50 to £3.50 starting in September. This adjustment marks the first increase since 2014, following the initial introduction of the charge in 2003. Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood addressed the matter in Parliament, noting that the crossing is currently utilized by approximately 180,000 vehicles each day, a figure that has led to significant congestion and delays. Greenwood emphasized that the existing charge was insufficient to manage the high demand, which has exceeded the crossing's design capacity. In an effort to mitigate the impact on local residents, the new pricing structure includes substantial discounts for those living nearby. Motorists with pre-pay accounts will benefit from a reduced charge of £2.80 per crossing, while other vehicles such as buses, coaches, and vans with two axles will incur charges up to £4.20. Heavier vehicles with more than two axles will face fees as high as £8.40. Greenwood reassured the public that these new rates are considerably lower than what they would have been had they been adjusted for inflation since the last increase eight years ago.
In conjunction with the charge increase, the UK government announced a £590 million investment in the Lower Thames Crossing, a new tunnel project designed to alleviate some of the traffic pressure on the Dartford Crossing. This new infrastructure will connect Tilbury in Essex to Gravesend in Kent and is projected to reduce traffic at the Dartford Crossing by approximately 20%. The decision to raise the charges and invest in new infrastructure underscores the government’s commitment to improving traffic flow and reducing congestion, which has a direct impact on both motorists and surrounding communities. Greenwood acknowledged that the news of the charge increase may not be well-received by regular users of the crossing, but stressed the necessity of these changes to ensure better management of the road and its associated challenges.
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