watched an episode od emergency bikers today and they were at the dartford crossing,it was stated that 150,000 vehicles a day go through the crossing,correct me if i am wrong but when it was built i heard after a certain amount of time they were going to make the crossing free after it had paid for itself,whoever owns it now [if its not the government] they must be raking in the money at £5 per hgv and £2 per car,i doubt it will ever be free because too much money is being made,it causes too many hold ups,sometimes the jams are about 5 miles or more,they need to sort it out,they once said [last year]when the prices were increased that the price was going up in order to ease congestion,its the bxxxxy toll booths that are causing the congestion,if i remember correctly they said the same about the london congestion charge yet london is still jammed up every day
Part owned by french government. … which is why it’s call le crossing.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=96635&hilit=+dartford+free+flow
In this old topic and here highways.gov.uk/roads/road-p … g-project/
trampyjoe:
Part owned by french government. … which is why it’s call le crossing.
It’s never been part owned by the French. There was a franch company who won the contract to run the crossing but that’s now done by connect plus on behalf of the highways agency.
New payment arrangements
In October 2014 a different, remote payment system will come into operation to reduce congestion and ease traffic flow.New technology and changes to the road layout means drivers will no longer stop at the crossing barriers to pay the crossing charge, but will be able to pay the crossing charge through a variety of methods including telephone, text, online and at retail outlets. Pre-paid accounts which qualify for discounted journeys will also be available.
The responses to the Highways Agency and Department for Transport consultations were published on 11 July, and in September we announced that Connect Plus had awarded the first of the contracts to change the crossing’s infrastructure.
It would be so much better if it was like that, like the congestion zone I.e. You pay before you use it or up to 7 days after. Traffic would be 100% better
I think they will sort it it eventually but in the mean time it’s a national disgrace. Great Britain?
Why they never implemented it years ago is beyond belief. Why it’s going to take so long is also beyond belief.
How anyone can think it’s a facility that works well in the best interests of everyone is beyond me,
Dartford crossing should have been free to use from 1996! Labour of course stopped that from happening!
Wot? In 1996 when the Tories were in power?
If the Tories had already made it free in 1996, then Labour wouldn’t have been able to make a free thing chargable again after winning the election in 1997… 
Winseer:
Wot? In 1996 when the Tories were in power?If the Tories had already made it free in 1996, then Labour wouldn’t have been able to make a free thing chargable again after winning the election in 1997…
Sorry it was 31st March 2002! The debt was paid for all the tunnel works and bridge completion! Since this date it’s all profit! HTH 
dessy:
Winseer:
Wot? In 1996 when the Tories were in power?If the Tories had already made it free in 1996, then Labour wouldn’t have been able to make a free thing chargable again after winning the election in 1997…
Sorry it was 31st March 2002! The debt was paid for all the tunnel works and bridge completion! Since this date it’s all profit! HTH
What about the ongoing maintenance and staffing costs ?
I’m for it coming from central taxation like the skye
Bridge but I suppose a bridge carrying a car a second rather than a car a week takes a lot more looking after so maybe the user’s should pay .
Seems bridges are like lorry parks everyone wants to use them but no one wants to pay for them 
If you think that any crossing in this country will ever be free you are living in cookoo land. It’s making money for somebody, why would they think of giving it up? Why should it be paid for out of general taxation? I can see the people living north of Watford loving that idea.
Slackbladder:
If you think that any crossing in this country will ever be free you are living in cookoo land. It’s making money for somebody, why would they think of giving it up? Why should it be paid for out of general taxation? I can see the people living north of Watford loving that idea.
the Forth Road Bridge is the pricely sum of sweet fa to go over, has been for years. Mind you the new bridge they are building may not be free to use when it’s built.
SteveBarnsleytrucker:
the Forth Road Bridge is the pricely sum of sweet fa to go over, has been for years. Mind you the new bridge they are building may not be free to use when it’s built.
last time I checked that bridge was in Scotland. 
Slackbladder:
SteveBarnsleytrucker:
the Forth Road Bridge is the pricely sum of sweet fa to go over, has been for years. Mind you the new bridge they are building may not be free to use when it’s built.last time I checked that bridge was in Scotland.
aye I know just saying like 
They are going to fit number plate recognition systems in place shortly, that should in effect speed up the crossing, i suppose they are trying to work out how to charge the foreigners, as they are obviously not registered at swansea. Also coming along shortly is a second crossing, they are just debating where to put it, one site has already been ruled out ( swanscombe ) because they are going to build a theme park there.
This is how the foreigner are going to pay 
With ANPR they should be able to stop them at the ferry / train on the way out and recover the charges plus fines on their way out.
New crossing now being decided on in 2015, they want to see how the anpr affects the crossing.