Rising ambitions to ease Dartford jams

25 October 2006
 
Transport minister, Stephen Ladyman, has announced plans to increase daytime cash motoring charges and introduce discounted electronic tags over the Dartford crossing, in a bid to ease congestion.
A consultation to be launched in December will propose hiking day charges by 50p to £1.50, but users who opt for a ‘Dart Tag’ will pay a discounted rate of £1, which is the current cash charge.
The removal of night-time charges will also be proposed, in order to facilitate freight movement at a time when the roads are less congested. Ladyman said he expected the new pricing to come into effect by January 2008. ‘Given the forecast growth in traffic, maintaining a charge for the use of the crossing is the only credible way of keeping traffic at manageable levels in the medium term,’ he added.
The Freight Transport Association has accused the Government of going back on its word over its original promise to scrap charges when the cost of the crossing had been paid for, around four years ago.
‘These prices seem to be a half-baked attempt at road pricing, but will do nothing to reduce traffic volumes – merely increase government revenue over and above the £70M a year it collects in tolls at Dartford at present,’ said Geoff Dossetter, FTA external affairs director.
The most effective way of easing congestion, he added, would be to scrap the tolls altogether.
The FTA’s views are echoed by Essex County Council, which says the Government should either remove the tolls or use the extra money to invest in local transport on either side of the Thames.

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