News

Proposals to increase tolls on the Dartford Crossing are "completely inappropriate" and the government should scrap charges altogether, says the Freight Transport Association

Gordon Telling, FTA head of policy in the South-east, made his comments after a 12-week consultation period on the increased charges ended this month.

The FTA says the infrastructure of the crossing is now paid for, meaning that charges are no longer justified. It adds that although the toll is regarded as  a congestion charge, this ignores that many hauliers have no alternative route."The charge therefore constitutes an additional and unwelcome operating cost rather than a disincentive," says Telling.

The Department for Transport is unapologetic. "They are perfectly correct to characterise it as a congestion charge. It also helps drivers, because without it a lot more would find themselves in a traffic jam going nowhere," says a DfT spokeswoman

The DfT adds that although the proposals include increases in tolls for a three-axle goods vehicle from £2.90 to £4, and for a two-axle from £1.80 to £2, the changes would include scrapping charges from 10pm to 6am to encourage those who can switch to night operations.