DARTFORD CROSSING REVIEW

Hornchurch & Rainham MP James Brokenshire is calling for a review of tolling arrangements at the Dartford River Crossing as figures reveal that traffic levels at the Crossing are now at their lowest levels for nearly ten years.  According to information published by the Highways Agency, the number of vehicles movements has fallen by over 1.5 million in twelve months. 

Yet despite the falls, delays at the Crossing remains as bad as ever.  Ministers maintain that the toll charges help to manage congestion, but a Government commissioned study by consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff investigating the causes of delays published earlier this year confirmed that the toll plaza layout was “the primary constraint to vehicles using the Crossing.”

Total vehicle numbers at the Crossing have fallen consistently since 2004 and in the year ended March 2009, 51,662,878 vehicles used the QE2 Bridge and the two tunnels – well down on the 53,240,629 that used the Crossing in the previous year.  According to the new statistics an average of 141,542 motorists used the Crossing every day – the lowest figure for nearly ten years.

James Brokenshire has written to the Transport Minister Andrew Adonis calling on the Department for Transport to confirm proposals for better use of the Bridge and the tunnels and asking that the impact on traffic flows of the recent power outage in Dartford leading to motorists not being charged at the Crossing for several hours be examined.  Commenting, James Brokenshire said:

“Nearly half of all motorists experience hold ups at the Crossing and it has one of the highest levels of delays on the national road network.  The Government argues that the tolls at the Crossing are intended to control congestion yet even by their own admission, they are the cause of the congestion. 

“Vehicle movements have been falling for several years and it is perverse that delays seem to be getting worse not better.  We need a complete re-think as the current situation simply isn’t acceptable or sustainable.”

Back to all posts