One-way M25 Dartford toll considered

[robert.saunders]

The southbound toll at the Dartford Crossing between Kent and Essex could be scrapped to help cut congestion. Transport Minister Sadiq Khan said one-way charging was one of two options being considered to help traffic flow and improve safety.

Also, I note that the AA have stated that the increase in toll charge has added to congestion:

Higher toll charges at the Dartford Crossing across the Thames between Kent and Essex have led to increased congestion, the AA has said. The motoring organisation said there were noticeably more delays on the M25 since the charge was raised from £1 to £1.50 for cars nearly a year ago. Paul Watters, its head of roads and transport policy, said a "sensible solution" would be to go back to £1.

BBC NEWS | England | One-way Dartford toll considered

BBC NEWS | England | Congestion claim over toll charge

 

[crammy69]

This would make senses but it should be the other way round, southbound traffic should pay to enter the lovely Garden of England.

 

[lynall]

They will never ever scrap the charges all that money that they would be missing out on.

If you remember the crossing should have been free after x years then they sold it to a private company French i think!




Lynall

 

[verytalldave]

All Dartford road crossing toll charges should be scrapped...................

"The Dartford tolls were supposed to have been removed in 2002 when the construction costs were paid off. By keeping them the Government has added to congestion, damaged the economy and increased pollution due to traffic queues."

Further interesting reading............
20p Dartford toll for Thurrock residents (From Echo)

 

[Bear]

When we had that big power outage about 6 weeks back there was no congestion on the first morning as they had to leave the barriers up and let everybody through free,sadly that didn't last as they hired generators in

 

[IanT]

I've got to agree here, I used to be able to drive fairly reliably Northbound through the tunnel, but since the toll change, I've many times ended up with anything up to an hour's journey between J3 and the crossing. I've got a tag, so the increase didn't hit me anywhere other than the delays. They should reintroduce the tag lane and find some way of enforcing it. Oh, and extend it back to J4.

I do like the 'free' periods overnight though, it's nice to just cruise through unhindered.

Ian.

 

[robert.saunders]

Tag only lanes should defo return

 

[ckember]

the tag only lanes, were never tag only, as they always had the coin bin, often went through them when it was not busy in the tag lane.

Has the increase in traffic also got anything to do with the new layout of the M25/M2 junction, which makes it easier for traffic flowing north from the M2, but confusion for south bound drivers on to the M2.

 

[Bear]

M2 doesn't start until Rochester

 

[verytalldave]

M2 doesn't start until Rochester

Thats being slightly pedantic as the A2/M25 junction is virtually motorway standard. And it joins the M2 a few miles down the road anyway.
I dont think the A2/M25 junction "improvements" have added hardly any extra traffic worth mentioning to the tunnel booth queues. Its all down to people having to find that extra 50p instead of just chucking in the single pound coin.
Having tolls in one direction only would certainly be a sensible solution. Then they could at least increase the number of booths and remove them TOTALLY from the other carriageway.

Does anyone know if this project ever got the real go-ahead green light or whether its all still just talk and waffle ? ? ?..................
Medway-Canvey Island Thames Crossing - Road Traffic Technology

I recall that there were discussions many years ago for a further road crossing between Dagenham and Thamesmead but that seems to have been forgotten. Probably superseded by the Canvey crossing project.

 

[Bear]

What would really help cut the queues down would be if there were some booths that could be used by foreign lorry drivers, ie pay window on left side so the drivers could pay directly from their cab rather than stopping 20' away to get out and walk round to right side.Personally I always use the lorry queues when it's busy, but get in behind the well known UK hauliers,Turners,Prestons,Stobart,ASDA ect as they usually will have tags