Dartford Crossing charge to rise by 40 per cent in September – check how much you'll now have to pay
THE Dartford Crossing is set to become more expensive to use in just a couple of months time.
The crossing - which was known as the Dartford Tunnel until 1991 - is made up of two tunnels and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and carries a charge for many who use it.
3
Used by around 180,000 cars every day the cost of using the crossing will rise from £2.50 to £3.50 on September 1, marking the first price increase since 2014.
Transport Secretary, Lilian Greenwood, explained the toll increase was necessary in order to manage the almost 200,000 vehicles that use it everyday.
"I am aware that these necessary changes to the charges will be unwelcome news for users of the crossing," she said in a statement to parliament.
"These traffic levels are well in excess of the crossing's design capacity, causing delays for drivers."
Buses, coaches, vans and other commercial vehicles with two axles will pay up to £4.20 when the new fees kick in, while vehicles with more than two axles will have to pay up to £8.40.
The Transport Minister promised "significant" discounts on the tolls for people living locally and car drivers with prepaid accounts.
"I am aware that these necessary changes to the charges will be unwelcome news for users of the Crossing," Greenwood said in her stament.
"I have been determined to keep the nominal fee paid by local people as low as possible, as many rely on the Crossing to get around their local area."
She added that drivers who live in Dartford or Thurrock and who have signed up to the Scheme will pay £25 for unlimited annual crossings from September 1, which is a small increase from the current annual fee.
Greenwood argued: "The new charges will be significantly lower than if they had increased in line with inflation since the tariff was last fully revised in 2014."
Traffic chaos as 'protesters' climb bridge with warnings of huge delays during morning rush hour
The charges at the Dartford Crossing vary depending on the type of vehicle being driven and if the driver already has an account set up on the gov.co.uk website.
The fees are often referred to as the Dart Charge.
Since the tollbooths at the Dartford Crossing have been removed, the charge can be paid on the gov.co.uk website.
3
Charges must be settled by midnight the day after crossing but can also be paid in advance.
The government website can be used to pay the Dart Charge and to set up an account to make future payments easier and cheaper.
Users can also use the service to pay or challenge a fine, as well as check which crossings they have paid for.
3
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Summer solstice celebrations begin as parts of UK faces 34C heat on longest day of year
Update: Date: 02:55 BST Title: A303 temporarily closed Content: Sammy JenkinsBBC News, Live page reporter The A303 has been closed in both directions near Stonehenge due to a high volume of vehicles parked on the side of the road and pedestrians on the carriageway. Wiltshire Police said the road is closed between the A360 at Longbarrow Roundabout and Countess Roundabout, Amesbury. "The closure will be kept under review," it said. Motorists are being told to use an alternative route via Countess Road and through Larkhill. "We would like to remind motorists to drive safely and cautiously due to the increased risk of pedestrians walking in the road," it added. Update: Date: 02:50 BST Title: Does the summer solstice mark the start of summer? Content: One of the many places last year's summer solstice was marked was the Light Pyramid in Milton Keynes To answer this, let's look at the two ways the start and end of seasons are defined. One is the astronomical seasons, which are based on the position of the Earth in relation to the Sun. The astronomical summer is often marked as beginning on the summer solstice. The Met Office says this year, astronomers are marking summer as starting today and ending on 22 September - but the dates shift slightly each year. Meteorological seasons are another way of defining the start and end of seasons. They're based on the annual temperature cycle and are split into four quarters made up of three months each - a more consistent way that makes it easier to compare seasonal statistics. This means meteorologists always class the northern hemisphere's summer as being from 1 June to 31 August. So, is today the start of summer? It depends on whether you're asking an astronomer or a meteorologist. Update: Date: 02:45 BST Title: It's the longest day of the year - and one of the hottest Content: Good morning, and if you're up in the middle of the night joining us, thank you, you have a very long day ahead - literally. Today marks the summer solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year, and as you read this thousands of people will be gathering at sites around the UK to mark the start of the astronomical summer. We're up nice and early (or very late, dependent on your view point) for you, with reporters at Stonehenge, the Avebury Stone Circle and Glastonbury Tor. There's a good chance if you are reading this in the middle of the night you're struggling to sleep in the heat - and it's expected to continue today, with temperatures of up to 34C and a yellow warning for thunderstorms.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The popular tourist destination where Brits will get the best exchange rate
It feels like it's getting more and more expensive to go abroad, and many Brits are really feeling the pinch when it comes to their holidays. But there's a popular tourist hotspot where your pound will stretch further than anywhere else. Post Office Travel Money's Holiday Spending Report looked at how sterling is performing against its 30 bestselling currencies compared with 12 and three months ago. It reveals that visitors to Turkey from the UK will get the most for their money, due to the ongoing, long-term collapse of the Turkish lira. Over the past three months, the lira has fallen by 12.9 per cent against the pound. And, compared with last June, visitors can now expect to receive around £116 (+30.2 per cent) more when they buy £500 worth of lira. The report also reveals the sterling has bounced back against the US dollar and is currently 6.6 per cent stronger than it was a year ago, and has gained 4.9 per cent in the past three months. For £500, tourists will now receive almost £31 more of US dollars, than they would a year ago. The report also reveals the sterling has bounced back against the US dollar and is currently 6.6 per cent stronger than it was a year ago, but Brits are turning their back on the States Despite this bang for your buck, the report found that many Brits are turning away from travelling to the States. Over half (53 per cent) of those surveyed said they'd actively avoid destinations where they think President Donald Trump's tariffs could affect resort prices, and 39 per cent said they categorically will not travel to the States. But those not wanting to go to the US can still benefit from the dollar recovery, as it extends to the Caribbean and Middle East currencies pegged to the dollar. It means Brits planning trips to Barbados, Antigua, Dubai, and other long-haul holiday favourites will get more for their pounds. Meanwhile, holidaymakers rated Spain (41 per cent), Turkey (35 per cent) and Thailand (31 per cent) best value for money out of 39 worldwide destinations. However, the report found the Thai baht was one of only five of the 30 bestselling currencies to rise in value against sterling. A sterling year-on-year fall of 5.2 per cent means that British visitors will get £27.64 fewer Thai baht on a typical £500 currency transaction. Given that almost half (48 per cent) of holidaymakers said they will choose their destination based on the strength of sterling, two other Far Eastern destinations – Vietnam and Bali - will actually offer Brits more for their money. Visitors to Vietnam will get the equivalent of £42.01 – or 9.2 per cent extra - on a £500 purchase of Vietnamese dong. Those choosing Bali, fourth-placed in the barometer, can expect around £33 (7.1 per cent) more in Indonesian rupiah than a year ago. Laura Plunkett, Head of Travel Money at Post Office, said: 'This year's holiday spending research again demonstrates that holidaymakers don't always set a realistic budget and overspend by large amounts as a result. 'It's great to hear that holidaymakers are already planning to budget more for their holidays this year, to avoid coming unstuck when they arrive at their destination.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
England football star Kieran Trippier and his wife 'to divorce' - after he broke his silence on their marriage split
English ace Kieran Tripper and wife Charlotte are divorcing, according to reports. The Newcastle United right-back revealed earlier this week that he split from his wife Charlotte more than a year ago. But a source said that the pair are definitely committed to making the separation permanent, the Sun has now reported. Trippier, 34, married Charlotte in Cyprus in 2016 and the couple have three children togther, Jacob, and two daughters, Esme and Isla. The source said: 'Charlotte has been open with her friends about getting a divorce. She has been seeking legal advice and is keen to move on with her life. 'Kieran is a devoted dad but as a partner it hasn't worked out as Charlotte had hoped. 'She has moved house and started anew, so getting a divorce has been the next logical step. Charlotte wants to keep things as amicable as possible with Kieran.' The 34-year-old football star said on Wednesday in a statement on Instagram stories: 'I feel I have no choice but to confirm publicly that myself and Charlotte separated over a year ago. 'Myself and Charlotte separated over a year ago. I have not commented previously as it is a private matter and we want to protect our children.' Kieran and Charlotte married in 2016 and sources say that they were keen to keep their split a secret so their kids would not have to deal with any upset. However, it has been reported that Charlotte has a new property where she lives without Kieran. Rumours of their split began during last year's Euros in Germany when Charlotte unfollowed her husband on Instagram on the end of the England's final group game. She also did not jet to Germany like other WAGs. She then posted a cryptic message on social media, saying: 'Sooner or later you get over the s*** you swore you'd never get over and it's the best feeling in the world.' Further posts included the caption 'the sun is shining, happy Monday', where Charlotte was seen sitting in the car listening to music while she waited to pick up her children from school. Meanwhile, the footballer, 34, was reportedly seen mingling in Ibiza with another woman this week. The Newcastle United player was spotted partying with Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry and her pals including Love Island star Jess Harding at Ushuaia club on the White Isle. The sportsman announced his retirement from international football in August last year - with MailOnline revealing how he wanted to to focus on life outside the game following his marriage breakdown. MailOnline has approached representatives of Kieran Trippier for comment, and also Charlotte Trippier.
