a moan about the new dartford crossing charging

[ericsbrother]

Got a note in my car tax renewal about the new cashless charging for the dartford toll crossing.

 

As an infrequent user how am I supposed to find a shop miles that will sell the new prepayments

and I also note that you will be fined if you fail to pay. like the London congestion charge.

 

Now, the Highways Agency are spending about £65m retarting the toll area when the simplest thing would be to do

what the governemnt promised years ago and that was scrap the charge.

 

The charge was supposed to be temporary until the cost of the engineering works had been recovered.

This debt ended 2 years ago and the "temporary" charge was continued again as a temporary measure.

 

Now they are spending an absolute fortune to continue the robbery of the users but want to make it harder to pay,

possible to spy on every user by having a new database of payers and the vehicle they are paying for

and worse than that actually having a charge at all when it cannot be justified.

 

When do we get to be consulted on this? never.

 

All too late for making a complint to your MP, the work will start soon and your MP will be booted out next year

at the election so they arent going to get anywhere bringing it up in parliament anyway.

Grr.

Edited April 24, 2014 by citizenB

[leonmassey]

The works already started and the cost is actually £365M. This will only be a temporary fix for the congestion until a new crossing is built. The contract is for 7 years so I wouldn't expect the charge to be removed anytime before 2021. In addition the crossing operator has a concession for another 28years at least so I would doubt the existing tolls would be removed even after 2021.

[*RainbowTears*]

I live minutes from the Dartford crossing & I do remember when it was first planned & built.

 

Originally we residents were told that the tolls were to be charged for 10 years only!! (As they wanted to reap the costs back "supposedly")

 

That did not happen!! Instead the tolls have been increased time & time again as it's a bliddin good money earner!!

 

The really negative thing about living so close is that whenever there's an accident or the bridge is closed, then the whole immediate area around Lakeside & Chafford Hundred becomes a massive car park & has before now, taken many hours to clear.

 

So it would be so much easier if the tolls were scrapped (as promised ha!!) As then the traffic would flow better, but it won't happen as it's easier to keep on fleecing everyone under the guise of a toll!!

 

Ive just read that the tolls are going up again to £2.50 a car! That's a 150% increase on the original toll! Daylight bliddin robbery!!!

[Anubis1275]

Got a note in my car tax renewal about the new cashless charging for the dartford toll crossing.

 

As an infrequent user how am I supposed to find a shop miles that will sell the new prepayments

and I also note that you will be fined if you fail to pay. like the London congestion charge.

 

Now, the Highways Agency are spending about £65m retarting the toll area when the simplest thing would be to do

what the governemnt promised years ago and that was scrap the charge.

 

The charge was supposed to be temporary until the cost of the engineering works had been recovered.

This debt ended 2 years ago and the "temporary" charge was continued again as a temporary measure.

 

Now they are spending an absolute fortune to continue the robbery of the users but want to make it harder to pay,

possible to spy on every user by having a new database of payers and the vehicle they are paying for

and worse than that actually having a charge at all when it cannot be justified.

 

When do we get to be consulted on this? never.

 

All too late for making a complint to your MP, the work will start soon and your MP will be booted out next year

at the election so they arent going to get anywhere bringing it up in parliament anyway.

Grr.

 

 

Hi, you do not need to find a shop that sells pre-payments - you will be able to have a prepaid online account along very similar lines as the current Dart Tag accounts.

 

Regards

Edited April 25, 2014 by Anubis1275
incorrect information

[ericsbrother]

My brain tumour doesnt let me cope with that.

[Mr.P]

At least they have finally scrapped charges for motorcycles - It used to be damned infuriating to be stuck behind one while the rider peeled off his/her gloves to find a poxy 20p... Ask how I know - I was the one with the gloves on.!

[Anubis1275]

Good morning, the DartCharge email I received today says there will be lots of ways to pay:

 

•with a pre-pay account

•online

•by text

•at retail outlets

•over the phone

•by post

 

It will continue to be free to use the crossing between 10pm and 6am

 

Mopeds, motorcycles, motor tricycles and quadricycles will still be able to use the crossing for free.

[citizenB]

Didnt they use the profits from the tunnels for the QE2 bridge ?

 

It must be more than 10 years since that was built as well. I imagine there will be many more toll road/bridges before this century is out.

[DBY]

I can understand the tolls, they have to maintain the crossing and pay people plus reinvest into new projects.

 

As a very frequent user given I work in Swanley and live in Norfolk, the removal of the booths is an absolute god send. So tired of paying to be stuck in a jam. I remember just before Christmas, driving from Caister to the M25/M11 junction took me 2 hours, from M25/M11 junction to getting over the bridge - 4 hours! Overall took me 7 hours and 45 minutes from Caister to the Channel tunnel - missed my train by half an hour.