A BUSY toll route used by 150,000 motorists per day is increasing its prices, in just days.
Car drivers face a £1 fair increase, as the toll rises in price for the first time in 10 years.
The Dartford Crossing sees 150,000 vehicles pass through every day[/caption]
Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood said that the 40% increase in the cost of passing through the Dartford Crossing is necessary to tackle congestion.
“The crossing now carries over 150,000 vehicles a day and up to 180,000 on the busiest days” she told MPs.
“Current charging levels are no longer sufficient to achieve their stated aim of managing demand.”
“The need to increase the charges to manage traffic highlights the need for the additional capacity that the Lower Thames Crossing will provide.”
Currently, it costs cars, motorhomes and minibuses £2.50 to pass the crossing, which is made up of a bridge and two tunnels connecting Thurrock in Essex with Dartford in Kent.
However, from September 1st, the cost of a one off payment will rise to £3.50.
The cost of a one-off payment for buses, coaches and vans with two axles will rise from £3 to £4.20, and vehicles with more than two axles will see an increase from £6 to £8.40.
Residents of Thurrock and Dartford will still be able to get heavy discounts on the fairs, with the cost of an unlimited pass rising from £20 to £25.
Drivers who use the crossing between 10pm and 6am will still be able to do so for free, and motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes can still cross free of charge.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “The claim that this 40% increase in the charge is all about managing traffic will raise more than a few eyebrows given that those making the crossing have little alternative but to do so.
“Most people will, understandably, and probably rightly, see this move as nothing else but a revenue raiser.”
Edmund King, AA president, said: “Long-distance travellers from the UK and Europe, freight, business and regional users have all been sold down the river by successive governments through the unnecessary perpetuation of tolls and lack of future capacity at Dartford.
“Tolling was supposed to pay for the Dartford Bridge and then end, which would have been in 2003.
“However, it became a nice little earner which raised tens of millions of pounds every year.
Full list of new charges for Dartford Crossing
- Class A – Motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes: Free
- Class B – Cars, including trailers, motorhomes and minibuses with nine seats or fewer: £3.50, or £2.80 for pre-pay account holders
- Class C – Buses, coaches, vans and goods vehicles with two axles: £4.20, or £3.60 with pre-pay
- Class D – Buses, coaches, vans and goods vehicles with more than two axles: £8.40, or £7.20 with pre-pay
“Ramping up the tolls by an extra pound, when the majority of users have no alternative about the time and place they cross the Thames, is simply road charging and a bridge too far.”
James Barwise, Road Haulage Association (RHA) policy lead, said: “Dartford remains the only practical Thames crossing for HGVs and coaches in the South East.
“It’s therefore regrettable that the charge increase has been so significant.
“This adds to running costs at an already financially challenging time for many businesses in our sector (HGVs, coaches and vans) and ultimately pushes up prices for consumers.”